A Potions Master's Remedy
by Ms Sherlock Holmes
Summary: After being named the Heir of Slytherin, Harry falls sick after staying out in the rain for too long. Someone grudgingly decides take care of him and it's someone Harry never imagined would do such a thing: Snape. What'll happen between them as time pass?
1. Unexpected help

Dark grey clouds hovered in the sky as rain pelted down from them onto the ground and onto the magnificent castle of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The mood outdoors matched the one indoors; the Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Justin Finch-Fletchley, the Gryffindor ghost Nearly Headless Nick and Filch's cat Mrs Norris have all been Petrified by the monster that resided in the Chamber. The students in the school, desperate to find out who was unleashing the horror of the Chamber, have now pinned the blame on one particular student.

Harry Potter sat in one of Hogwarts's many study areas, poring over his notes. Studying seemed to be the only thing that distracted him from the school's series of unfortunate events, especially now that he has been labelled as the Heir of Slytherin. Tell a snake to leave your classmates alone at a Duelling Club and you're officially the bad guy. Though Harry saw his classmates' point of view: being a Parselmouth, a Slytherin-only ability, would most likely get people thinking that you're related to Salazar Slytherin himself. But it still hurt Harry to know that his classmates thought he would try to purge the school of Muggle-borns. One of his best friends was a Muggle-born for crying out loud! How could they think that of him?

Harry grabbed one of his textbooks and began researching Herpo the Foul. After finding his needed information, he scribbled away in his notebook. While doing so, Harry became fully aware that he was being watched. He looked to his right and found a group of students glaring at him. Once they saw him staring back, they returned to their work. Feeling uneasy, Harry looked to his left and caught another group staring at him as well. He felt more eyes burning holes in his back but he dared not to turn around. He instead focused his gaze on Ron and Hermione, who were sitting in front of him, and saw with a painful stab through the heart that they weren't even looking at him. Deciding that he couldn't take any more, Harry packed his things and left the room, ignoring the piercing glares that followed.

He didn't stop walking until he reached the boys' dormitory in Gryffindor Tower. He dumped his things on his four-poster bed and stared out the window. He could barely see the outside as the rain lashed against the window; then, Harry had a sudden impulse to go out in this gloomy weather. Without bothering to bring a cloak or scarf or anything to keep him warm and dry, Harry stormed out of the dormitory and out of the common room.

Every student he passed gave him a wide berth and glared daggers at him as they whispered among themselves; even the ghosts were avoiding and whispering about him. Harry felt a pressure behind his eyes as he crossed the Entrance Hall and he quickened his pace. He pushed through the oak doors and he stepped into the rain.

The rain splashed hard on the ground and on Harry's glasses. He took out his wand and tapped his lenses, muttering "_Impervius_." He put his wand away and ran down the grounds' sloping lawns all the way to the Black Lake. Hundreds of ripples were formed on the water's usually smooth surface. Harry skidded to a halt but slipped on the wet grass and he fell hard on his backside. But he didn't care; all of his focus was on getting away from the scrutiny and unleashing his pent-up emotions. He buried his face in his arms and knees and began to cry.

* * *

><p>Professor Severus Snape was making his way up to the Entrance Hall from the dungeons. The storm outside made the dungeons too dark for even the Potions master's taste so he had decided to relocate to a brighter atmosphere. The top of the stairs he was climbing shone with light, indicating that the Entrance Hall wasn't far.<p>

As he crossed the threshold, something on the floor caught Snape's eye. He drew nearer and he discovered that it was a puddle of water. There was a trail of them that led to the great oak doors. Figuring that the trail began at the door rather than ending there, Snape turned his gaze toward the marble staircase and found a student climbing up them, drenched to the bone. Recognizing the student, Snape put on his best angry face and marched toward the unsuspecting tween.

"Potter!" Snape snapped harshly. "Mind explaining why you're dripping all over the floor?"

The young Gryffindor jumped about a foot and a half in the air in shock and he whirled around. Now closer, Snape saw that Potter was shivering violently and that his eyes were red and slightly puffy. Something was wrong and Snape was uncomfortably aware of it. But he said nothing and he glared at Potter until he got his answer.

"I-I was," Potter replied, his teeth chattering, "j-just outside in the g-grounds, sir."

"In this weather?" Snape said, scowling. He knew that Gryffindors were rather brawny than brainy but even he thought they were smarter than that. "Why?"

"B-Because I—" But the rest of the sentence was lost when Potter tried to stifle a sneeze. Snape's hand automatically flew to the boy's forehead. Potter's eyes grew wide in surprise and Snape quickly snatched his hand back, startled by his own actions. Knowing that he could not avoid the unavoidable, he said, "You're burning up, Potter! How long were you outside?"

Potter shrugged nonchalantly and Snape took that as 'a couple of hours'. Mumbling about Gryffindors becoming stupider every day, he grabbed Potter by the wrist and began dragging him up the stairs.

"You're coming with me to the Hospital Wing," Snape said silkily.

"No!" That response came so suddenly that it caused Snape to stop in his tracks. He turned around and found Potter staring at him with a terrified expression. The Potions master raised his eyebrows at him.

"You'd better have a good explanation for this," he snarled angrily.

Potter flushed, seeming to regret his outburst. He remained quiet and Snape narrowed his eyes in concentration. Without breaking eye contact, Snape used Legilimency and saw in Potter's mind that he was scared. Scared of what people might do to him during his time at the Hospital Wing due to the fact that most believed him to be the Heir of Slytherin.

Snape sighed exasperatedly. He hated to admit it but Potter was not wrong to be scared; Hogwarts students weren't always the friendliest crowd.

"Fine, we won't go to the hospital but don't think that I'll let you contaminate this school," Snape said icily.

He stormed down the stairs, dragging a very confused Potter behind him. Snape returned to the dungeons and did not stop until he reached his chamber, which was guarded by a portrait. He whispered the password ('_Lily_') so that Potter wouldn't hear and when the portrait swung open he marched inside with Potter stumbling about behind him.

The chamber was composed of two rooms. The first had a fireplace, a desk, a couch and two armchairs facing the fireplace and book shelves were lining the walls. Snape dragged Potter into the second room which was the bedroom. It contained a large four-poster bed, a bedside table and a wardrobe. Snape took out his wand and gave it a strained flick. Dry clothes appeared on his bed.

"Put those on and get into bed. No complaints!" Snape ordered stiffly.

Before Potter had a chance to protest, Snape strode out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

**What's Harry thinking about all of this? He must be completely confused to say the least. **

**Please review! Reviews are much appreciated.**


	2. Meeting between Heads of Houses

Harry could not believe his luck. Snape was forcing him to live in his rooms and he was falling sick for staying out in the rain too long. He began to change his clothes not because Snape told him to but because he wanted to get out of his wet clothing.

After changing into the pyjamas Snape had left him (Harry was surprised to find a clean pair of boxers in the mix but was, nonetheless, grateful), Harry climbed into bed. He felt strange and slightly humiliated to be in the Potions master's bed. _Snape's _bed out of all people! Harry would have been able to handle it if the piece of furniture had belonged to someone like Professor McGonagall but Snape? Maybe the impending fever was making The Boy Who Lived delusional.

The door opened and Snape returned. He levitated Harry's clothes and brought them out. Harry guessed that Snape was going to hang them near the fireplace so that he didn't need to waste magic on 'The Golden Boy'. The professor then came back and he looked at Harry, no emotion showing in his black eyes.

"Comfortable?" Snape asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Not particularly," Harry scoffed. This was partially true; the bed was soft and warm but its owner made it almost unbearable to lie in.

"Get some rest, Potter. That fever's only going to get worse," Snape said before leaving the room again.

Harry slumped into the pillows. When he did, sleep took over and Harry knew no more.

* * *

><p>Harry woke up a few hours later to an aching throat. Pushing his pride aside with immense difficulty, he tried to call out to Snape to see whether he had a tonic or something but barely a sound came out of his mouth. Harry sighed. The loss of his voice will thrill Snape. The Gryffindor banged on the wooden headboard to get the Potions master's attention.<p>

Snape burst in, seething. Harry felt some sort of satisfaction at seeing Snape annoyed out of his wits.

"Don't bang on the bed, Potter! Use your voice or is talking beneath you?" Snape snarled silkily.

Harry thought for a minute and then he reached for the bedside table. He pulled the drawer open and found a notebook, a quill and an ink bottle. He took them out, unstopped the bottle, dipped the quill and scribbled in the notebook.

"Hey, what are you—?" Snape began, confusion shinning in his voice, but Harry cut him off by tearing a page from the notebook and passing it to him. Snape took the paper with his eyebrows raised.

"_I can't talk. Lost my voice_," Snape read aloud. His lips curled into a smile. "Well then, I see an improvement already, Mr Potter," he added gleefully.

Harry glared at him and stuck his hand out. Snape gave him the paper back and Harry wrote something else on it before re-giving it to the man he hated.

"_Shut up, you snarky bastard._ Why, you—" Snape said angrily.

Harry smiled mischievously. Then he saw Snape looking at him closely. A little too closely for Harry's liking.

"You certainly don't _look_ improved, just as I had predicted," Snape said. "The bathroom's right outside the chamber if you need it but let me know when you're going to use it so I can keep the portrait open. There's no way that I'm giving you my password."

There was a pause in which Harry was gazing at his professor questioningly. He then dipped his quill in more ink before writing another message. This time instead of tearing the page out, Harry turned the notebook so that Snape could see what he wrote.

"What do I mean when I saw you don't look improved? Your face is as white as a sheet and your cheeks are quite red. Not a healthy image, Potter," Snape replied calmly.

Harry scribbled again.

"_Oh_ is right," Snape said when Harry showed him the two-letter word. "You are officially sentenced to bed rest and if I have to chain you to the bed or cast a full Body-Bind curse upon you to get you to obey, I will," he added, waving his wand threateningly.

Harry rolled his eyes but grudgingly nodded. Snape turned on his heels and was about to exit the room again when he paused at the doorway. He faced Harry.

"I'm off to find Professor McGonagall to tell her of your condition. Do you want me to drop by the kitchens and bring you something to eat?" Snape asked.

Surprised at the offer, Harry shook his head. He wasn't very hungry. Snape gave a curt nod and left, his black robes sweeping the floor behind him.

* * *

><p>"You've found him?"<p>

That was Professor McGonagall's answer when Snape had entered her office and had told her that he needed to discuss something about Potter. Her beady eyes became filled with relief when he told her that he had, indeed, found the boy and she looked as if she could have kissed her colleague. Snape was secretly grateful that she didn't.

"Pomona, Filius, Gilderoy and myself have been looking everywhere for Potter ever since Mr Weasley and Miss Granger came to me and reported that Mr Potter had left the fourth floor study area and they hadn't seen him for hours afterwards! Where was he, Severus?" McGonagall asked frantically.

"I had crossed paths with him in the Entrance Hall where he had informed me that he had spent a few hours outdoors," Snape replied indifferently.

McGonagall blinked.

"Out-Outdoors?" she repeated, as if she had not heard correctly. "In this weather?" She looked out her window, where the rain continued to pour down hard.

"Yes, Minerva, outdoors. He was soaked from head to toe and he now has a fever because of it." Snape sighed.

"Goodness! Is that where Potter is now? In the Hospital Wing?" McGonagall inquired.

"No, he's lying in bed in my chamber," Snape answered. "Only because he didn't want to go to the Hospital Wing!" he added hastily as he saw McGonagall's mouth fall open.

"How so?"

"Potter fears that the other students might take advantage of him being in the hospital to cause him harm or something since many strongly believe that he is the Heir of Slytherin," Snape explained casually.

McGonagall's expression darkened.

"I don't believe that Potter has been attacking students. Thank you for taking him in though I'm surprised that you did," she said.

"I'm not going to let him contaminate the school, Minerva. I hope that Potter makes a speedy recovery; I can't stand the thought of keeping him for ages."

"Yes, because recovering from a fever takes much longer than being revived from being Petrified when there's no Draught of Mandrake," McGonagall said, sarcasm ringing in her voice. "A potion which, I may remind you, Severus, takes a long time to make."

"All right, _all right_. You've made your point; I'll tend to Potter as long as he needs it," Snape said grudgingly.

"Thank you, Severus."

"Do you mind not telling anyone else of this except for our colleagues? I greatly do not wish that the rest of the students know about this," Snape asked.

"Let me guess: you don't want them to think that you actually care about the boy?" McGonagall sighed.

"Naturally. And I do _not_ care about Potter, Minerva! Don't get any ideas!"

"I do not expect anything less from you, Severus." McGonagall surprised Snape by giving him a rare smile. He did not dare to try to see what she was thinking.

"Good. That's good I guess," Snape trailed off uncertainly.

McGonagall gave him a curt nod.

"Severus, before you go, I have a message from Poppy. She needs to consult you about the Draught of Mandrake and she wants you to meet her at her office as soon as you can," McGonagall said, sitting at her desk.

"I will go straight to her."

"What about Potter? I'm sure Poppy won't mind meeting you at your chamber instead."

"Potter can survive without me for a few extra minutes. If he can escape the Dark Lord's grasp more than once he can take care of himself for a bit."

"Hm." Snape saw a flicker of annoyance flit across the Transfiguration professor's face. He could tell that she preferred to be the one to care for Potter since she was his Head of House but Snape was the one with the expertise in the art of potion making; between the two of them, he was the one who knew what Potter needed and he knew how to brew those potions correctly.

"Very well but don't take too long," McGonagall finally said after a moment of silence. She took out her notes and she began to browse through them. Snape took the gesture as an act of dismissal and left the office.

**Thanks for the reviews! :D Please keep them coming!**


	3. Pepperup Potion

Snape was returning from his encounter with Madam Pomfrey. She was missing an ingredient for the Draught of Mandrake and she had asked Snape if he could provide it when it was time to make the potion. He had assured her that he would.

"_Lily_," Snape told the portrait hiding his chamber. It admitted him inside and Snape saw that everything was still in order. He swept across the room and sat in one of the armchairs in front of the fireplace. He then noticed Potter sprawled on the couch asleep with a book lying open on his chest. Snape jumped to his feet.

"Idiot boy!" he hissed angrily. "Haven't I told you to stay in bed?"

Potter stirred but did not wake. The book slid off him and fell closed to the ground. Snape picked it up and saw that the title read _Magical Remedies_.

_Huh. He was trying to find a quick way to recover. Not a bad idea_, Snape thought.

Hesitantly, Snape put a hand on the Gryffindor's forehead. His temperature had risen and Snape grew slightly worried. He roughly shook his head: he was _not_ worried about James Potter's son. But then Snape remembered that the boy was also Lily Evans's son as well. He threw the book onto one of the armchairs and he scooped Potter up in his arms. Praying that his patient will not rouse from his sleep, Snape carried Potter into the bedroom.

* * *

><p>Harry woke but did not open his eyes; he was comfortable with the warm and soft object he was leaning against. He sleepily raised a hand and gripped what he discovered was a material of some sort. The object went rigid and Harry suddenly realized that he was being carried. He groggily opened his eyes and he saw that he was back in Snape's bedroom. He raised his eyes and found with a mixture of shock and horror that Snape himself was the one carrying him to bed. A dull flush colored the Potions master's pallid face and Harry felt bewildered and embarrassed himself. He silently prayed that if Snape ever gave him a potion to help him get rid of this fever it would be the Draught of Living Death.<p>

Snape seemed to struggling on the verge of speech. Harry opened his mouth to ask him why he wasn't laying him on the bed but then remembered that he couldn't talk so he closed his mouth. When Snape finally spoke, he was not meeting Harry's eye.

"I told you to stay in bed," he said. Harry knew that Snape was trying to sound threatening but the awkwardness in his voice was giving away the Potions master's true feelings. Harry wasn't aware that Snape could feel anything other than anger and resentment.

Harry raised his eyebrows.

"You were asleep on the couch so I brought you in here myself. It must be nice to be treated like a king but don't get used to it," Snape continued nastily.

Harry rolled his eyes. He slapped a hand on the back of the Hogwarts professor's head and he forced Snape down to his eye level. The green eyes glared into the black ones and Harry tried to put as much unsaid, hateful things in that stare he could muster. Snape must have understood because he then deliberately dropped Harry on the bed. Harry sat up and watched as Snape took a bag out of his wardrobe. The Potions master rummaged in the bag and he pulled out a vial filled with red liquid which Harry recognized as Pepperup Potion. At least, he _hoped_ it was Pepperup Potion.

"This, Potter, is a Pepperup Potion with a twist," Snape said softly, Summoning a goblet and filling it with potion. Harry quickly grabbed his writing material, which he had left on the bedside table.

"The formula has been altered," Snape replied when he saw the question mark that Harry had drawn. "I found that the original formula did not heal fast enough so I improved it."

Harry gulped and then regretted the action when his throat protested. He did not like the idea of being Snape's test subject.

As if he read The Boy Who Lived's mind, Snape said, "You are not my guinea pig for this potion, Potter. I tested it myself and it was a success. The original potion healed the consumer in two weeks. My version heals in just one."

Harry eyed the goblet warily as Snape set it down on the bedside table. He didn't trust Snape and he certainly didn't trust any of the Potions master's inventions. Harry locked his gaze with Snape's, who was watching him with a slightly amused air.

"You don't have to take it but I can promise you that you'll be stuck here longer if you don't and you and I both know that neither of us wants that. However, if you do take it, only take it once a day; it's quite potent," Snape instructed.

_I can imagine_, Harry thought as Snape wordlessly left him alone. Harry glanced at the potion. A part of him wanted to believe that Snape's version of the Pepperup Potion would cure him faster but his strong dislike for the man won over. Harry turned his back on the potion and tried to get some more rest.

* * *

><p>Night had fallen and everything in the castle was quiet. Even Peeves kept to himself as Filch silently mopped the Great Hall. There wasn't another living soul in sight wandering about.<p>

Snape was dozing, sitting at his desk. He had fallen asleep while correcting his students' essays. It was a boring job but, as a professor, Snape had to comply. He especially didn't like grading students that weren't in his house; they were, in his opinion, a bunch of dunderheads.

Snape suddenly woke up with a start and sat up abruptly, his cheek unsticking itself from a roll of parchment. Gazing down he noticed that some of the essay's words have disappeared. Knowing that they were now printed on his face, Snape took out his wand and pointed to his cheek, muttering a spell. He felt the ink siphon itself off and the words returned to their original placement on the parchment. Snape recognized the essay to be Draco Malfoy's. He smiled and graded the paper with an 'E' before putting it away.

The Potions master got to his feet and stretched. Before he had a chance to do anything else, there was a sound coming from the next room. Snape groaned; what could Potter be possibly doing at this hour? Without bothering to knock, Snape barged inside the bedroom.

Potter was sitting upright in the middle of a rough coughing fit. Snape, who was taken aback since this was not what he was expecting, stood staring at the coughing boy. He shook his head, coming back to his senses, and he rushed to Potter's side. Snape then saw that the goblet of potion he had left still remained untouched.

"Damn it, Potter! I know that I gave you the choice to take this potion or not but I thought that maybe this time you would have used your brain for once and followed my instructions!" Snape exclaimed furiously.

He grabbed the goblet and tried to force the liquid down Potter's throat but the boy wouldn't have it. He kept jerking his head away while coughing madly. Snape had had enough.

"Listen, Potter! The headmaster has taken this potion and so has many of the Hogwarts staff! They're still alive, aren't they?" he snapped. "Just trust me!"

Potter suddenly stopped struggling and he stared at Snape in astonishment as he kept an arm firmly over his mouth. Snape place a hand on his student's arm and pushed it away before pressing the edge of the goblet against the boy's lips. Potter reluctantly began to drink the potion and the effect was immediate: the coughing ceased and Potter took deep breaths as air began to flow easily into his lungs again. Snape sighed as he set the goblet back down on the bedside table.

"Now I'm no longer giving you the choice. You _will_ take this potion once a day, every day, and I don't want to hear or _see_," Snape gave the notebook lying on the small table a nasty look, "any complaints. Understood?"

Potter nodded. Snape turned his back on him and was about to walk away when he felt a soft tug on his robes. He looked questioningly over his shoulder and found Potter staring at him.

"Yes, Potter?" Snape asked silkily.

Potter looked from Snape to the goblet and back again. He then looked into the Potions master's eyes and mouthed the words 'thank you'.

Snape was stunned, to say the least. He was rarely showed any sincere gratitude by anyone and Potter was being exactly that: sincere. He wasn't being arrogant and his eyes weren't filled with mockery. The last thing Snape had expected was to be thanked.

"Uh, you're welcome, Potter," Snape replied awkwardly. "I-I'll be sleeping in the next room if you need me."

With that, he hastily left the room, closing the door behind him once more.

* * *

><p>Harry watched the bedroom door close. What on earth was that about? All he did was thank Snape and the Potions master suddenly became slightly flustered. Could Snape be unaccustomed to gratitude? Harry thought about it and believed that it could be a possibility. Thanks to the Dursleys, he too knew what it was like to put hard work into something or to comply to a demand without a single acknowledgement of what he had done. Maybe Snape had a similar past.<p>

Harry smiled. He liked the idea of a little detective work. He lay back down and greeted sleep with welcoming arms.

**Harry's on a mission! What is he going to find out if he even _can_ discover anything about Snape?**

**Thanks for the reviews! Please keep them coming! :D**


	4. Side effect

The weekend came bright and early the next day. Students were socializing in the Great Hall at breakfast, enjoying their two days of freedom from all of their schoolwork. None of them, however, seemed to have noticed the absence of one of their peers.

Harry was pacing feverishly in front of the fireplace, thinking hard. When Snape had oh-so-kindly let him use the bathroom earlier this morning, Harry had tried to find ways to lure Snape away from the portrait hole. Though he thought it was unlikely, Harry had come up with the notion that Snape's password might be a clue to the professor's past. It was a strong possibility to why Snape refused to give Harry the password but the young Gryffindor believed that it was more likely due to the fact that the Potions master did not desire to find his least favorite student back in his chamber. Still, it was worth a try.

Harry began to wring his hands. _Where_ was all this _energy_ coming from? Yesterday he spent most of his time here asleep and now he couldn't lie still. Maybe it was from the excess sleep he got. Snape had ordered Harry once more to stay in bed before leaving for the Great Hall to have breakfast but Harry could not comply; he had to move. Snape was going to kill him when he returned.

Deciding that he needed something to do to pass the time, Harry approached one of the many bookcases lining the walls. He examined all the titles and paused on a volume that had neither a title nor author. Curious, Harry pulled it out. He opened the book and discovered that it was actually a photo album disguised as a book. He turned to the first page and he found a few pictures of a black-haired boy, whom Harry assumed was Snape, with his parents. The father had the exact same hooked nose as the Potions master, confirming Harry's suspicions of the boy's identity, but it was the mother's features that were reproduced in most of Snape's being. All three members of the Snape family stood unsmiling and almost unmoving. They certainly didn't look like the happiest people on the planet in Harry's eyes.

The portrait swung open with a creaking sound and Harry hastily snapped the album shut and he put it back in its place, making himself a mental note to find another chance to look at the album more thoroughly. Harry barely had the time to compose himself to give out the appearance that he was just _looking_ at the books rather than flipping through them when Snape walked in.

"Oh, for – _Potter!_ I will _glue_ you to the bed if you keep this up! What's your excuse this time?" Snape asked impatiently.

Harry already had his answer ready. He rushed toward the couch and collected his already infamous notebook. He opened it to the page explaining his sudden rush of energy and gave it to Snape. The older man took the notebook and read the message. Harry watched as Snape's eyes grew slightly wider and his already pale face grew slightly paler. The sight worried Harry a bit. Snape raised a hand and he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Potter," he said, "why does every time something goes awry, it always involves _you_?"

Harry cocked his head to the side to show his confusion.

"The potion that I gave you last night has a side-effect. It gives you an incredible boost of energy for several hours at a time but when it wears off you will crash and it's not your typical energy crash either. Your body will receive the illusion that it has the flu only slightly worse. It's not a great feeling. Fortunately, it doesn't last long," Snape explained. He then added, "But now I'm more puzzled than ever."

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"When Professor Dumbledore took this potion despite my advising against it, he received none of the side-effects. The same goes for the other professors who have taken it. I had then assumed that the potion only affected the brewer that way but, of course, _you_ have proven me wrong. I will have to do a bit more research. In the meantime, you will no longer consume that potion and you _will_ stick to the regular Pepperup Potion instead."

Harry snatched his notebook out of Snape's hand and he rushed toward the couch where he had also left his quill and ink bottle. He absolutely refused to stay two weeks with Snape and if getting out early meant enduring a few side-effects, Harry was more than ready to take them on.

He showed Snape his reply when he was finished writing it. The Potions master's eyes narrowed as he read the sentence.

"It's not a question about whether you are tough or not or whether you can handle it or not. You do not want to experience that potion's side-effect though now you have no choice but to do so. Believe me, if Professor McGonagall gets wind of this she will have my head," Snape said silkily.

A low groan escaped Harry's lips. He scribbled into the notebook again. He was _not_ going to give up without a fight.

_I don't care. Let me take that bloody potion. I would much rather go through an unpleasant side-effect than spend another unnecessary moment sick._

He had almost written down 'with you' instead of 'sick' but Harry had decided not to push it. He showed his message to the older man.

"That's what the headmaster said when I had first refused to administer him the potion," Snape recalled. Harry felt a small surge of pride in his chest: so he had spoken just like Dumbledore? It was quite the compliment.

"Fine. Take my potion at your own risk. I'm not going to waste my energy arguing with you, Potter. But don't come crying to me when the second half of the side-effect kicks in."

Harry simply shrugged; he didn't know what other answer to give. Snape then pressed a hand to the Gryffindor's forehead, causing Harry to jump a little at his professor's touch. This did not go unnoticed by Snape. He quickly retrieved his hand back and Harry looked at the ground. It felt strange to be more or less taken care of and it wasn't just the person who was taking care of him that made the whole thing strange. Harry wasn't used to being shown any kind of consideration yet, despite having friends who did care about him.

"At least we know the potion's working; your temperature had risen yesterday and now it has cooled down a bit," Snape remarked indifferently.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, his stomach gave a small yet audible growl. Harry blushed and braced himself for Snape's next sneer.

"If I hadn't heard your stomach, I would've thought your temperature had spiked just now," Snape smirked. Harry guessed that the red of his fever and the red of his blush combined together made him look like a tomato. "It's a good thing that I stopped by the kitchens on my way back here. I've asked the house-elves to bring you a bit of breakfast; they should be here any minute," Snape continued.

Harry was surprised to hear that there were house-elves at Hogwarts but he kept that surprise hidden. He didn't feel like explaining his experience with Dobby over the summer holidays and during his time in the Hospital Wing when he had had his bones in his arm removed to Snape. Harry turned his back on the Potions master and he sat in an armchair, trying his best to keep still.

* * *

><p>A book was thrown onto a pile that was on the floor. And then another and another. Snape was relentlessly researching the cause to why it was only he and Potter who had to feel the potion's side-effect. And he unfortunately lucked out with each try. In between reading and failing, Snape had to take care of Potter, who seemed to be prone to miniature coughing fits that were easily solved by a long drink of water. The Potions master could not give Potter another dose of potion since he had to wait a full twenty-four hours before taking more. Snape couldn't wait for that time to come.<p>

Snape flicked his wand and Summoned another box of tissues from who knew where. During the course of the afternoon, Potter's nose had suddenly become runny. On top of that, Snape grew annoyed at the boy's constant buzzing around the room like a fly so he ordered Potter to make himself useful and go through some books that might contain the information Snape was looking for. Potter wasn't Snape's ideal study partner but he was better than nothing.

Snape threw another book in the large pile that had formed itself next to his desk and rubbed his eyes. He had spent fruitless hours poring over books and his tired mind was now slightly clouded; he could no longer concentrate. Taking a small break, he looked blearily around the room. He and Potter together had only managed to get through one of the many bookcases. Snape never realized how many books he had until now.

He stood a little to look over his desk. Potter was lying flat on his stomach, doing his part of the research. Snape watched as the boy rolled over onto his back, holding the book open high above his head. Potter's energy level seemed to have lowered and the Hogwarts professor began to dread the inevitable that was coming.

Potter snapped the book shut and he picked himself up from the ground. Snape gazed on lazily as Potter made his way toward the near-empty bookcase to put back the piece of literature in his hands. Suddenly, the boy fell to his knees and Snape jumped to his feet, his senses on high alert. Potter's energy level had finally crashed and it was now time for the worst part of the side-effect. Snape rushed to his student's side and he slowly helped him onto his feet. The Potions master led Potter to the couch where he gently pushed him into a sitting position. Snape stood in front of the boy and examined him.

Potter was trembling violently and there was already a sheen of cold sweat on his forehead. He kept staring at the ground and he looked so pitiful that Snape didn't even have the heart to say 'I told you so'. Then, without warning, tears streamed down Potter's face.

* * *

><p>Harry felt absolutely awful. His body ached all over, he felt weak and shivery and he also felt nauseated. Snape was not kidding when he had said that the second half of the side-effect was no picnic. Cold sweat appeared on his forehead and Harry suddenly started to cry. He didn't know what else to do. The Dursleys often came close to neglecting him whenever he was really ill to keep him from spreading whatever he had to Dudley. During those times, Harry would curl up in his cupboard and sob; that was his way of handling the situation. Snape wasn't going to be of any help: he had made that clear this morning.<p>

Through his tears, Harry saw a very shocked Snape standing in front of him. The older man looked helplessly around the room, as if hoping that someone else would suddenly appear and take over the situation. Harry had already known that Snape was not an emotional man so he wasn't surprised that the Potions master was, for once, clueless on what to do. But, oddly enough, seeing Snape trying to find a solution provided Harry some sort of small comfort that he couldn't explain.

What happened next was nowhere near to what Harry had anticipated: Snape took a deep breath, sat on the couch, and very awkwardly put an arm around Harry's shoulders. He did not pull Harry closer to him but he seemed to be trying to find the right words to say. If Harry wasn't so flabbergasted he might have laughed outright in spite of himself at the struggling Potions master.

Harry did not want to admit it but what Snape was doing was making him feel a little better. He didn't know whether Snape's actions might have been out of concern for his student or not but the Potions master wasn't forcing Harry to stop shedding his tears, which was better than anything the Dursleys had always offered. Harry continued to allow the tears to flow, now knowing that, with Snape around, he was permitted to do so.

* * *

><p>It took half an hour for Potter to calm down. When he had, he slumped against the couch and fell asleep, visibly emotionally drained. Snape gently laid him down the couch's length and he placed a pillow under the boy's head and covered him with a blanket. Snape went to collect the tissue box that was left in Potter's makeshift study area on the floor and he returned to the couch, kneeling in front of his student. Snape took a tissue out and began drying Potter's face with it.<p>

_I'm not the man for this job_, Snape thought somberly. Potter evidently had more than a fever going on and the Potions master was utterly useless in emotional matters. Potter was in need of someone who was gifted in the art of communication. Snape was going to have to meet with Professor McGonagall the next day.

**Even I didn't expect Snape to turn out so soft at the end. But what will he do with Harry now? Will he convince McGonagall to put Harry in someone else's care or will McGonagall tell him to see this through to the end no matter what happens? And will Snape tell her about the potion?**

**Thanks for the reviews! :D Please keep reviewing!**


	5. Surprise visit

Snape sat in McGonagall's quarters the following morning, clutching a cup of hot tea. He had stopped by her rooms early and when he had knocked on her door he was greeted by the deputy headmistress who was still dressed in her tartan dressing gown. Snape had quickly issued an apology and had explained to her that it was urgent that he saw her. McGonagall had stepped aside and the Potions master entered the room. She then had offered some tea to Snape, who had accepted the offer, and she called upon a few house-elves who had enthusiastically complied to her demand. The two professors now sat across from one another at a small table on the far side of the room.

Snape looked at McGonagall, who was patiently waiting for him to speak. He was about to reveal what had happened to Potter when he saw her bedroom door open out of the corner of his eye. Snape looked over McGonagall's shoulder and his mouth fell open as he saw Albus Dumbledore emerge from the bedroom.

"Why hello, Severus. What brings you here bright and early this morning?" Dumbledore asked cheerfully, securing the knot on his dressing gown.

"I, uh, came to speak to Minerva about a matter of upmost importance," Snape replied, feeling slightly embarrassed to have unknowingly stumbled upon a pair of lovers.

"Well then, don't let me keep you. I'll be in my office if either of you need me. I hope that your chat will be as pleasant as my evening here was last night."

"_Thank you_, Headmaster," Snape replied loudly over Dumbledore's last words, not wanting to hear the details. The headmaster chuckled and swept across the room. He paused to kiss McGonagall fully on the lips (Snape looked away) and exited the room. McGonagall got to her feet and closed the door before returning to Snape.

"Don't look at me like that, Severus. We're all adults here so this should scarcely bother you," she said briskly.

"I know but it's just bizarre to see my former Transfiguration professor and my former headmaster together in that sense," Snape replied, still slightly uncomfortable. He tried to be supportive. "So, how long have you and Albus been seeing each other?"

"Since the Order of the Phoenix was founded."

"Ah…"

"Now, you have said that you needed to discuss something important. Is it Potter again?" McGonagall asked.

Snape nodded. He drank some of his tea as he tried to find the correct words to say.

"Minerva, I'm not the one Potter needs," he finally said.

"What do you mean?" McGonagall inquired, perplexed. "Aren't you the Potions master of this school?"

"Of course I am!" Snape replied irritably, glaring at her. "I can tend to Potter's physical needs but his emotional needs are another matter."

"Please elaborate, Severus."

"Yesterday, very late in the afternoon, Potter got, uh, _overwhelmed_ by his fever," Snape explained, choosing his words carefully; it was not in his plans to have McGonagall aware of his potion's side-effect, "and he burst into tears. It has led me to believe that Potter's welfare at home is not taken into consideration."

"I knew it. I _knew_ it!" McGonagall exclaimed furiously. She was so angry that Snape was surprised that angry sparks weren't flying out of her fingertips. "It's those dreadful Muggles he lives with! I have once surveyed them for an entire day eleven years ago and they are the _worst_ sort of Muggles imaginable, Severus. They must barely take care of poor Harry."

"Who are these Muggles, Minerva?"

"Vernon and Petunia Dursley. Potter's aunt and uncle."

"Potter's aunt and— Hang on, Petunia Dursley wouldn't be Petunia Evans by any chance?" Snape wanted to know.

"The very one," McGonagall answered stiffly.

Snape groaned. So Lily Potter's precious sister was Potter's guardian? Snape was not surprised in the least that Petunia neglected her only nephew from her side of the family. She hated anything that had to do with the wizarding world. Snape vividly remembered overhearing Petunia calling Lily a freak right before it was time to board the Hogwarts Express. He had never forgiven her for that act: his best friend was nowhere near being a freak. And now Petunia had directed that attitude toward her nephew. It infuriated Snape to even think about it. He knew what it was like to be neglected by one's own family: his parents had barely noticed him when he was living with them. It was because of them that Snape couldn't wait to leave for Hogwarts at the end of every summer. The thought struck Snape as he realized that Potter was now in that very same situation.

"Severus? Are you still with me?" came McGonagall's voice, pulling Snape out of his reverie.

"Yes, forgive me," Snape replied indifferently. "As I was saying earlier, Potter needs someone else to watch over him until his fever dies out and I was thinking maybe you could take him in."

McGonagall's eyes flashed dangerously and Snape recoiled slightly. He knew that look: she was not happy.

"So you're going to give up on him?" McGonagall snapped.

"Who said anything about giving up? Minerva, Potter has showed me last night that he has more than just a fever affecting him and—"

"All the more reason to stay by his side! Severus, you told me that Potter has shed some tears, right? He has shown to you a vulnerable side of him that I'm sure under regular circumstances he would never have done in a million years. To put him under someone else's care right afterwards would be another emotional blow for Potter and goodness knows that he has received enough of those! You will give him the impression that it's wrong to feel and show emotions if you go through with this."

"Potter hates me; it's no secret. I doubt anything I do will affect him."

McGonagall shook her head.

"Like I have said, these are not regular circumstances. You have shown him more kindness than anyone else who has cared for him when he is ill and that's saying something since the comparison is between you and those awful relatives of his," she said. "I'm sure, in one way or another, Potter is somewhat grateful to you, Severus. You're the one he needs."

"I'm a Potions master, Minerva, not a counsellor! I do not know how to handle these kinds of things! I have trouble dealing with my own feelings so how on earth am I supposed to help others?" Snape replied indignantly.

McGonagall looked taken aback and Snape suddenly realized that he had accidently revealed something that he had never shared with anyone before. He hoped that that was not going to come back to haunt him.

"I'll teach you," McGonagall replied fervently. "I will show you how to take on delicate situations. Bear in mind that there is no way out of this. You _will_ tend to Potter in every way he needs during his stay with you, physically or emotionally. Do I make myself clear?"

Snape nodded curtly. He felt as if he was a student again, getting told off for hexing a student who went by the name of James Potter. He half-expected McGonagall to deduct points from Slytherin.

"Speaking of physical, have you been giving Potter that wonderful Pepperup Potion of yours?" McGonagall asked curiously.

"Yes." Snape shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Excellent. You see? He won't even be staying with you that long," McGonagall said with a smile. "Now, shall we begin our lesson?"

* * *

><p><em>Snape's been gone a long time<em>, Harry thought._ I wonder where he's at._

Harry sat in front of the fireplace with the photo album he had found the previous morning open in his lap. He had woken up on the couch to a deserted chamber and he had found a goblet filled to the rim with red potion sitting on the desk. Harry downed it in one go and he found no note explaining the professor's sudden disappearance.

He had asked the portrait guarding the entrance of the chamber if it knew of Snape's whereabouts but it had refused to answer. It was probably angry at the fact that Harry had placed a chair between the canvas and the portrait hole to keep it from closing when he was using the bathroom. Harry had then ripped out the page in his notebook he had written on and had scrunched it into a ball before throwing it at the woman in the portrait's face after receiving a string of insults following her unwillingness to answer the question.

So he had instead relocated Snape's photo album and he looked at each photograph in detail. There weren't many of Snape's family and in most of them, the Potions master's father was notably absent. Harry assumed that his professor did not have a good relationship with his parents, especially with his father.

The following pages were filled with Snape's time at Hogwarts as a student. He apparently did not have many friends as a teenager because he was with the same small group of boys in every picture. Harry did not know what Snape was thinking when he had decided to befriend these boys because Harry could have sworn he saw a sort of crazed look in some of their eyes. There was, however, one picture that Snape wasn't standing with his friends. He was with a man that Harry did not recognize but judging by the background in the photograph Harry was able to guess that the man was the previous Potions master.

Harry turned to the last pages of the album and discovered that these were created with a lot more care than the others. They contained pictures of Snape with a red-haired girl. Harry did not recognize any parts of the Hogwarts grounds so these photographs must have been taken in the Muggle world. The young Gryffindor smirked slightly at the thought of Snape having a girlfriend so he examined the girl closely and saw with a brutal shock that her eyes mirrored his own. Harry had seen his mother for the first time last year in the Mirror of Erised and she had long red hair and exactly his eyes – brilliant green and almond-shaped – just like the girl in the picture. The girl looked like a younger version of his mother. Could Snape have possibly known Harry's mother? Harry received his answer when he saw the name 'Lily' written at the top of the page in Snape's handwriting.

Harry slowly closed the photo album, letting his discovery sink in. Snape had known his mother. _Severus_ _Snape had known Lily Potter personally!_ He was the last person Harry would have associated his mother with. He thought it was a bit unfortunate: he had so many questions about Lily and Snape could answer them but, knowing Snape, he never would. Harry did not even want to imagine how furious Snape would be if he found out that Harry had discovered something so personal about him. At least, Harry _assumed_ being friends with Lily was something Snape kept close to his heart, judging by the way the photographs of her were so much more cared for than the rest.

Harry returned the photo album onto its bookshelf. Then, he heard voices talking loudly through the portrait guarding the chamber's entrance. Wondering who it could possibly be, Harry approached the portrait hole and pushed the canvas open.

"_Harry!_"

Harry barely had the time to process the familiar voice when somebody threw themselves at him and gave him a bone-crushing hug. His vision was then obscured by a mane of bushy brown hair and it finally clicked to Harry who was embracing him. Without thinking, he tried to speak.

"Her…mione?" Harry said very hoarsely. He surprised himself: he had gained some of his voice back! But not enough to be able to speak normally again. He then noticed that even his throat hurt much less. Harry smiled; Snape's potion was certainly doing its job.

Hermione pulled herself away and Harry noticed Ron standing behind her. The pair of them was looking at Harry with a relieved expression and Harry felt affection for his two best friends course through him.

"How are you feeling, mate?" Ron asked.

Harry shrugged, hoping that the gesture came off as 'not too bad'. Hermione was watching him closely.

"Can you talk?" she said.

Harry shook his head. She took out her wand.

"I can fix that," Hermione continued. She flicked her wand and Harry felt a tingling sensation all over his body. He looked at Hermione questioningly.

"Think of something," she told him. "Anything."

_Like what?_ Harry thought. He then gasped as the two words that had just crossed his mind formed themselves in front of his eyes in gold thread. They looked a bit odd but Harry then realized that, from his point of view, the words were written backwards so that Ron and Hermione could properly read them. They stood floating in the air for a few seconds and vanished.

_Brilliant, Hermione!_ Harry thought enthusiastically.

"Thank you, Harry," Hermione replied with a smile.

"Mind if we come in?" Ron asked.

_Is Snape on his way? _Harry replied, watching the fine thread twist itself into words. Ron looked around the corridor and shook his head. Harry gestured to his friends to step inside and when they did he forced the portrait to close, ignoring its protests.

"Blimey! It's quite dark and gloomy in here but I guess that's Snape for you," Ron remarked, eyeing the room.

_Tell me about it. I've been here since Friday so I could use a little brightness_, Harry told him.

"Now, now. We're not here to undermine Snape," Hermione chastised them.

"Says you."

_How did you guys know where I was? I'm pretty sure Snape didn't spread the word around that I was staying with him_, Harry wanted to know.

"McGonagall told us. We kept badgering her because she kept refusing to tell us where you were and she finally got fed up and spilled the beans," Ron answered, laughing slightly at the memory. "She made us swear not to tell anyone though."

"We managed to locate Snape's chamber here in the dungeons and that portrait right outside the exit refused to let us in. I understand that it was doing its job but it didn't have to call us cheeky little snot-rags for trying to see you. We began to argue with it and that's probably what gave us away to you."

_How are things in the school?_ Harry asked.

"It's been okay, I guess. I mean, there haven't been any new attacks so that must be a good sign, right?" Hermione replied thoughtfully.

_Do people still think that I'm the Heir of Slytherin?_ Harry pressed on.

"Sadly, yes. Bloody hell, your absence has actually reinforced that belief since no one's been attacked since you've started staying here," Ron answered anxiously.

Harry groaned. That was _not_ what he was hoping to hear.

"Let's not talk about that. Tell us about your time here, Harry. Has Snape been horrible to you?" Hermione said.

_He hasn't been that bad, actually_, Harry thought, relieved at the change of subject. _He's been quite helpful along with a healthy dose of snarkiness to reassure me that he hasn't lost his marbles._

Ron and Hermione laughed. Harry had no desire to tell them that Snape had actually put his arm around his shoulders last night. He could imagine what their reactions would be.

"Where _is_ Snape anyway?" Ron inquired curiously, looking around the room as if he expected Snape to come out of the shadows.

_No idea. I woke up this morning to find the place deserted. He's been gone for hours_, Harry replied.

"Hmph. He really shouldn't leave you alone in your condition," Hermione huffed disapprovingly.

_It's not the first time he's left me, Hermione. Snape always leaves me alone at mealtimes and it has happened that he had to go meet someone. It's no big deal._

"Leaves you at mealtimes? Has Snape been starving you?" Ron asked urgently.

_Of course not, you prat. Do I look like as if I hadn't gotten a decent meal for days? Snape has actually arranged for food to be brought here for me three times a day_, Harry replied.

"Wow, one of Snape's rare acts of kindness," Hermione said in awe.

"Or his only one," Ron said wisely.

"Oh, Ron…"

"What?"

Suddenly, a few house-elves materialized in the room. Hermione gave a small scream of surprise and Ron let out a startled yelp. The house-elves placed a platter of sandwiches and a pitcher of pumpkin juice with two goblets on Snape's desk before facing the three Gryffindors and bowing to them. The creatures then vanished as quickly as they came.

_Blimey, is it noon already?_ Harry wondered.

Ron checked his watch. "Yep," he answered, eyeing the sandwiches hungrily.

"What were those things?" Hermione asked in a slightly high-pitched voice.

_House-elves. They work down in the kitchens here_, Harry replied casually.

"House-elves? You mean like that Dobby you told us about?" Ron said. Harry nodded. "Weird!" Ron added, amused.

_Dobby was weirder._

"Well, I for one think we should find our way to the kitchens and thank the house-elves for their wonderful cooking," Hermione declared. "They deserve a bit of recognition."

"Great idea! I'll ask Fred and George, they should know how to get there," Ron pitched in enthusiastically.

Hermione gave him an appraising sort of look before turning to the food sitting on the desk.

"That's an awful lot of food for only one person," she remarked.

_The house-elves always bring extra for some reason_, Harry thought, approaching the desk.

"Maybe Snape asked them to bring more so that he can have some," Ron suggested.

_I can't see why he would do that since mealtimes are the only times he can get away from me when he's not occasionally meeting with another teacher though that so far has only happened once. Twice if you count today_, Harry replied. He didn't know where Snape had gone but he was certain that he was with another professor again. _I highly doubt that it's his heart's desire to dine with me._ He waited for his neatly structured paragraph to fade away before turning to Hermione to see what she thought.

"Maybe the house-elves think that Snape might eat some of what they bring if they add more," she said thoughtfully. "He really should, it's such a waste of good food!"

_Well, these sandwiches don't have to go to waste_, Harry told her cheerfully. _Why don't you guys have lunch with me today?_

"Sounds good to me!" Ron exclaimed happily, bouncing toward the platter and grabbing a sandwich in each hand. Hermione, however, hesitated.

"But, Harry, what if Snape comes back? Ron and I really shouldn't be here," she said anxiously.

"Oh 'elax, 'Ermione," Ron said with his mouth full. She gave him a look of deepest disgust and he swallowed. "Live a little! Besides, aren't you the one who just said that this food shouldn't be wasted?"

Hermione opened her mouth to argue but then closed it, defeated. She gave a reluctant smile and joined the boys.

_That's the spirit_, Harry thought as he took a bite out of a turkey sandwich. He eyed the pitcher of pumpkin juice thirstily when he noticed a small problem.

_There's three of us and only two goblets_, he pointed out.

"Leave it to me," Hermione said. She took out her wand again and she tapped one of the goblets. It split itself into two goblets.

"Fantastic!" Ron exclaimed appreciatively, pouring pumpkin juice in all three goblets. Hermione beamed.

Harry smiled as he watched his friends socialize. It felt good to be in their presence again. Suddenly, the back of Harry's throat began to itch and he quickly grabbed a goblet of juice. He drank the whole in one gulp as the other two stared at him.

_Sorry_, Harry told them. _My throat was starting to itch and itchy throat equals annoying coughing fit._

Ron and Hermione nodded to show that they understood. At that moment, the portrait swung open and Snape came inside. He and the trio froze as they laid eyes on each other. Snape was the first to recover.

"Weasley! Granger! Mind explaining how you got in here and why?" Snape snarled furiously, his black eyes flashing dangerously. Harry stepped in front of his friends with his arms outstretched as if he was shielding them from a terrible enemy. Snape looked momentarily startled.

_Please, sir, don't take points off of Gryffindor or give Ron and Hermione detention. _Harry couldn't believe that he was pleading with Snape but he had to defend his friends somehow.

Shock was clearly etched across Snape's face as he saw the golden words appear in front of him. Harry smiled cheekily.

_A trick of Hermione's. Impressive, isn't it?_ Harry thought smugly.

Snape glowered at him and Harry looked over his shoulder at his friends and winked. Snape's glower was his way of agreeing with Harry's assessment of Hermione's abilities.

"_Explain_," Snape repeated acidly.

"Professor McGonagall told us where Harry was, Professor," Hermione said squeakily. "She didn't want to but when she saw how concerned we were for Harry she privately let us know of his whereabouts."

Harry nodded, knowing that Hermione had purposely left out the part where McGonagall had gotten annoyed at them. He was careful not to think about that.

"And I suppose that Potter here let you inside?" Snape spat.

_That's right_, Harry told him.

"Sir, all we wanted to do was make sure that Harry's okay. Is that too much to ask?" Ron demanded to know.

The word 'yes' seemed to be hanging on the tip of Snape's tongue but Harry was surprised to see the Potions master bite back whatever retort he had.

"You two will keep coming back here no matter what I say, am I correct?" Snape asked.

Ron and Hermione nodded. Snape groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose as Harry watched him anxiously.

"Fine. You may visit Potter once a day _after_ your classes for ten minutes _only_," Snape finally said.

Harry looked at his friends and saw Ron open his mouth to protest but Hermione elbowed him hard in the ribs. Harry was grateful that she did.

_Don't_, he advised Ron. _Just take what he's giving you; it'll probably be his best offer._

Ron spared Snape a glare before nodding. Harry patted his shoulder before turning back to Snape.

"Good, we have an arrangement. Now, you've used up your time for today so OUT!" Snape said, yelling the last word.

Ron and Hermione hurried toward the portrait hole. Hermione suddenly stopped in her tracks and she took out her wand. She pointed it at Harry and he felt the tingling sensation all over his body again and he realized that Hermione had turned his thoughts private once more. She and Ron bade Harry goodbye and they stepped out into the dungeon corridors together.

**The reaction I gave Hermione to the house-elves is one that I think was what it would have been if she had never witnessed the whole Winky/Barty Crouch Sr scene in GoF.**

**Thanks for the reviews! :D Keep them coming!**


	6. A new source of comfort

Potter was crying again. He was sitting in bed with his face buried in his arms and knees, his shoulders shaking as sobs wracked through his small body. He was, once again, in dire need of comfort.

Snape stood by the edge of the bed, clutching the inside of his robes. McGonagall had given his a detailed lesson on tact and sensitivity and he clearly remembered everything she had told him but it was complying to what she had said that was difficult. Snape wondered whether he would have this much trouble displaying comfort to a student other than Potter.

He took a deep breath. He had to do this no matter how much he would rather do the opposite. Snape sat next to Potter on the edge of the bed and he put an arm around the sobbing boy's shoulders. Potter stiffened slightly but he did not pull away at his professor's touch. Taking this as a sign of encouragement, Snape slowly brought his student closer to his body, resting the boy's head against his chest. Potter once again displayed no signs of moving away and Snape then began to understand McGonagall's words more clearly.

He recalled McGonagall saying how rubbing small circles on a child's back helped sooth them when they were in distress. Snape followed his colleague's instructions and was surprised to see Potter, whose tears were still streaming down his face profusely, release the tension that was in his muscles. The Potions master had no idea that small actions could have such a big impact.

As Snape started to relax a bit, Potter suddenly seemed unable to contain himself and he buried his face into his professor's chest as he clung to the front of Snape's black robes. The bit of tension that had momentarily left Snape's being returned and he was so shocked that his heart nearly failed him. He didn't know why he was so flabbergasted: McGonagall had warned him that this might happen. But Snape had managed to convince himself otherwise. This was Harry Potter they were talking about, the boy who thought of his Potions master to be a greasy-haired, sallow-skinned git. Snape definitely saw himself as the last person Potter would cling to for dear life.

And yet Potter seemed to accept his strange new source of comfort. He permitted Snape to sit so near him and he let him hold him, albeit in a rather awkward manner. The Potions master remembered how much importance McGonagall had put in saying words of comfort and meaning them.

"It's…It's all right, Potter. Let it all out," Snape whispered softly. He then slowly wrapped both arms around the young Gryffindor and waited for the tears to subside.

* * *

><p>Harry took several deep breaths, trying to regain control. A few stray tears rolled down his cheeks and they disappeared into the material that was Snape's robes. Speaking of Snape, who was this man and what has he done with the Potions master? The real Severus Snape would have never been so gentle. But Harry had decided to accept what Snape was offering since it was – and Harry partially hated to admit it – one of the nicest things anyone had ever done for him.<p>

Harry leaned into Snape, feeling oddly safe. He never knew that a man who was usually so cold could be so warm when he wanted to be. Why couldn't the Dursleys be that way? Harry then felt Snape's hand resume the task of rubbing his back and the Gryffindor sighed deeply. The slow motion of Snape's chest going up and down with his breathing was enough to lull Harry to sleep but it was the older man's heartbeat that kept him from doing so. Harry's ear was placed directly over Snape's heart which was thumping loud and fast against his ribcage. Harry smiled a little at the Potions master's nervousness.

"Potter." Snape had spoken so softly that Harry had barely heard him. He shifted slightly against his professor to show that he was still conscious and he was listening. "Look at me," Snape said.

Harry pulled away from him. He gazed into Snape's eyes and was a little stunned to see concern reflecting in them. Harry did not know what had happened to Snape today but he, nonetheless, appreciated the sudden change no matter how temporary it may be.

"Are you feeling better?" Snape asked quietly.

Harry nodded.

"Good. I'm…I'm glad to hear it," Snape said.

Harry watched his professor curiously. This was a side of Snape that was rarely – if ever – seen and Harry felt that it should surface more often. He did his best to encourage the Potions master.

"Thank…you," Harry said, forcing his voice out.

It was now Snape's turn to look stunned. Harry couldn't tell whether it was because he had spoken or it was because Snape was once again being acknowledged for what he had done.

"You can talk?" Snape asked in bewilderment.

"A…" Harry coughed and cleared his throat. "Little."

"Then don't talk, Potter. Don't force you voice out."

Harry, without knowing why, grinned at Snape, stunning the older man even further. The Potions master looked at the ground, unable to meet his student's eye.

"Would you like me to bring you the rest of your dinner? The side-effect kicked in while you were still eating," Snape asked, his voice a little strained.

Harry shook his head and Snape nodded curtly. After an awkward pause, the Potions master got to his feet and made his way out of the room. When the door closed, Harry laid down on the bed, thinking. He had seen a completely new side to Snape and he wondered whether that was who Snape truly was or if it was just a one-time thing. Either way, Harry was glad to know that there was _some_ good in Snape. The best part of it was that the good Snape had in him made him so much better than the Dursleys. With that in mind, Harry fell into a quick and easy sleep.

**I hope Snape turned out okay in this chapter. It was hard to keep him in character and make him comforting all at once. Those two things really don't mix. At least now Harry is starting to appreciate Snape.**

**Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad that you guys are liking the story so far! :)**


	7. Encouragement

The following days made Snape more absent than ever from his chamber. Classes have started again so Harry would spend the entire day alone with his thoughts and Snape's books. He had, at least, Ron and Hermione's visits to look forward to during the evening much to the Potions master's dismay. The two friends used their allocated ten minutes to briefly update Harry on the school's events. Fortunately, there have been no further attacks on Muggle-born students. The bad news (according to Harry and Ron and even Snape) was that Gilderoy Lockhart was now prancing around the school claiming that he had singlehandedly scared off the monster of the Chamber of Secrets. Snape had miraculously made Harry and Ron laugh (Harry's laugh had been sounded rather strangled) when he had said the only reason that the monster had stopped spreading terror around the school was because it was too ashamed to have such an incompetent fool like Lockhart as an opponent. Hermione had been rather scandalized and offended at that remark.

It was now Wednesday and Harry felt better than ever. His throat no longer hurt, he coughed ever so slightly and he had most of his voice back. The potion's side-effect was now less intense and Harry cried less every night. Snape had been quite helpful during those times, holding and soothing his student until the tears stopped. The Potions master was, in Harry's opinion, improving at handling delicate situations and Harry made sure that Snape knew that his attempts at comforting someone were good for someone who has been unemotional for most of his life. The Gryffindor wanted Snape to develop his caring side.

Harry sat sideways in an armchair, gazing at the photographs of his mother after a hot shower. He loved watching her laugh and smile brightly for the camera. There was one picture that Harry particularly liked: his mother was sitting underneath a large oak tree with a book in her hands, smiling warmly at the camera that Snape had been apparently holding. Her flaming hair danced in a small breeze and she seemed to be full of life. Harry desperately wanted to know more about her but would Snape answer his questions? Harry knew that he would never know unless he tried but he feared the consequences of his actions all the same.

A loud knock came from the portrait hole and Harry scrambled to his feet, failing to notice the photo album falling open to the ground. Who could it possibly be? Everyone, student and teacher alike, should be in class at the moment. Harry hesitated then approached the portrait hole.

He had only pushed the canvas open by a fraction when he heard the annoyed voices of Ron and Hermione bickering with the portrait.

"How dare you knock on my frame! How _dare_ you!" the portrait shrieked.

"Bloody hell, lady! How else are we supposed to get inside without the password? We have to let Harry know we're here somehow!" Ron retorted angrily.

"Then I suggest you sit out here and wait for the impertinent brat to come out and use the bathroom," the portrait replied.

"We are _not_ going to sit here and wait for Harry to have a full bladder," Hermione scoffed. "Last time I checked, knocking is the courtesy to enter a room."

"Last time _I_ checked, Gryffindors are a bunch of dunderheads who only know how to get what they want by being aggressive," the portrait said smoothly.

Harry rolled his eyes. He gave the canvas a good shove and it flew open at top speed, coming to an abrupt halt when it couldn't be opened any wider. Harry smiled broadly as he watched Hermione look positively scandalized by what he had done and Ron going over to examine the portrait. He returned chortling.

"That was brilliant, mate!" Ron exclaimed cheerfully. "You've made her fall off her chair and some of her books fell out of her library!"

"It's _not_ funny! Harry, she could get you in serious trouble!" Hermione chastised, scowling at the boys.

"I could say the same thing about you two," Harry said hoarsely.

Ron stopped laughing as Hermione gasped. "You can talk again!" she squealed.

"Yeah but my voice is not completely back yet as you can hear," Harry replied.

"I think that it's just lack of use. Keep talking and it'll be back to normal."

"That's great!" Ron said, thumping Harry on the back. "That means that you'll be out of here soon!"

"No kidding. Now come inside before somebody sees you," Harry said.

Ron and Hermione hastily stepped inside. Harry was about to force the portrait to close when he heard it mumble something about reporting to Snape about the intrusion. Harry stepped around the portrait and faced the woman fixing her hair.

"If you ever tell Professor Snape about this I will send that mad Sir Cadogan I've heard about after you," Harry threatened. "They say he's always up for a challenge and I think that you're a perfect match for him."

The woman sitting in the portrait looked genuinely alarmed at this and she roughly shook her head. Satisfied, Harry went back inside the chamber, closing the portrait while doing so.

Ron and Hermione were standing in the middle of the room, arguing whether the way Harry had handled the portrait was good or not. When The Boy Who Lived joined them, they fell silent and turned to him.

"What are you guys doing here? Shouldn't you be in class?" Harry asked, perplexed.

"We were but there was a bit of a mishap in Potions," Ron replied, smirking.

"What happened?"

"Somehow, Seamus, Neville _and_ Goyle all have managed to make their cauldrons explode while we were all making a Swelling Solution. A whole bunch of students were hit and got various body parts that were about five times their normal sizes and Neville's potion was actually acid so the classroom itself got pretty damaged," Hermione explained. "Snape has cancelled the rest of the lesson to clean everything up so we've got an extended lunch hour."

"Wow. Poor Neville and Seamus must've gotten a detention for that," Harry said sympathetically.

"They sure did though Snape surprisingly didn't take points off of Gryffindor. Not that we're complaining, it's just weird," Ron said, shrugging.

"Let's just be grateful for that. As much as I appreciate you guys coming to visit me, aren't you scared that Snape might come in here at any moment?" Harry wanted to know.

"Nah, Snape's got a real mess to take care of so we're not worried."

"How come you guys didn't get hit with any Swelling Solution?"

"I had cast a Shield Charm over as many people as I could, which wasn't many since I'm still in the process of learning how to extend the spell," Hermione said. "But at least it was effective," she added proudly.

"I can see that," Harry praised her with a smile. She beamed at him.

"Hey, Harry? What's that over there?" Ron asked curiously, pointing at the floor.

Harry looked at what Ron was showing him and realized with a jolt that it was Snape's photo album. Much to his horror, Harry saw Ron approach the album and pick it up.

"It…It's nothing!" Harry exclaimed hastily. He cringed at how weak his attempt at protecting Snape's privacy had sounded.

"Who are the bloke and the girl?" Ron asked as he examined the photographs. Hermione went up to him and took a look at the pictures herself.

"It's Snape! Anyone can see that," she told Ron. "As for the girl—" She faltered, staring at the photographs. Harry bit his lower lip; if anyone could put two and two together, it was Hermione.

And she did. Hermione examined the pictures a bit more closely and gasped before she exclaimed, "Harry! The girl in the pictures has your eyes!"

"Blimey! She does!" Ron remarked incredulously.

"Harry, is this girl your mother?" Hermione asked tentatively.

Harry looked at the both of them and nodded. Hermione covered her mouth with her hands as Ron dropped the album in shock. They both stared at Harry, who was anxiously waiting for their thoughts.

"Surprise," Harry said weakly. When his friends didn't answer he added, "For the love of God, say something!"

"I… I…" Hermione stammered almost incoherently. Ron suddenly took over.

"Wait, how can we be sure that this is Harry's mother?" he said. "I mean, Snape couldn't possibly have known her let alone have hung out with her."

"Ron, the eyes are a dead giveaway! Besides, I've seen my mother in the Mirror of Erised last year; that girl looks exactly like her except younger. Let's face it, Snape was friends with Mum," Harry told him.

"Ron, look. It says 'Lily' on the top of the page," Hermione said, pointing at the photo album on the floor. "That's Mrs Potter's given name. Right, Harry?"

Harry nodded.

"Okay, okay. I get it. So, Harry, what did Snape tell you about her?"

"W-What?" Harry said.

"What did he tell you about her?" Ron repeated. "I'm sure you've asked him about her."

"Er, I didn't, actually," Harry replied hesitantly.

"Why not?" Hermione asked, visibly startled.

"Because this is _Snape_ we're talking about! I'm positively certain that the reason he hasn't told me about his connection to my mother is because he doesn't _want_ me to know! _Especially_ me out of all people," Harry exclaimed briskly. "I'm willing to bet all of the gold in my Gringotts vault that if I ask Snape about my mum he will put me in detention faster than you can say 'unfair'."

A pause followed his words. Then Hermione slowly approached Harry and she put both hands on his shoulders. He looked at her.

"Harry," Hermione said gently, "I understand that you're scared that Snape might get mad and, frankly, he probably will. But Snape is not heartless even if he appears to be; those photos are proof of that. I'm willing to bet all of the money in _my_ vault that since your mother is extremely important to you _and_ obviously to him as well, Snape will answer your questions."

"I hate to admit it but I think Hermione's right, mate," Ron said. "It's clear that Snape cared for your mum so he'll understand why you'd want to know more about her."

Harry and Hermione goggled at him. "Did _those_ words just come out of _that_ mouth?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"_Hey!_ I can be deep too, you know!" Ron retorted.

Hermione giggled and turned back to Harry. "Will you talk to Snape about your mum?" she questioned.

"Uh, I guess so. I've got nothing to lose, right?" Harry answered, managing a small smile.

Hermione smiled warmly and gave him a hug. The gesture surprised, embarrassed, and pleased Harry all at once. He tentatively returned the embrace, finally fully coming to terms with that here in the wizarding world, he was cared for and loved. He didn't know why it took him so long to completely acknowledge that fact.

The school bell rang and Harry and Hermione broke apart. Ron clapped his hands together and he licked his lips.

"Lunch time!" he exclaimed cheerfully. "Let's go, Hermione. I'm starving."

"Must you always think with your stomach?" Hermione snapped. She focused on Harry again. "Though I do agree that it's best that we leave. Snape might be back any minute now. We'll be back later this evening to discuss real quick the ways to approach Snape with a delicate subject," she told him in a kinder tone.

Harry nodded. Hermione waved at him before returning to Ron's side. She grabbed his arm and dragged the ginger-haired boy out of the portrait hole, leaving The Boy Who Lived to muse over his own thoughts again.

**Let's see if Harry can summon his courage to ask Snape about his mother. And maybe at the same time Snape will find the answer to his potion he was looking for a few chapters back.**

**Thanks for the reviews! :D They're very much appreciated!**


	8. Discovery

"Nothing!"

That was Snape's frustrated cry as he failed yet again to find the answer to his potion. He has been researching endlessly up to the late hours of the night every night and not one single of his leather-bound volumes so far contained the information he was looking for. The Potions master was on the brink of giving up.

Snape glanced at his bedroom door. Potter was sleeping soundly in the next room. He had improved greatly and Snape had decided to keep the boy an extra day just to make sure that he was one hundred percent fit to be sent back among his peers.

A few hours earlier, the two roommates had spent a good hour playing Wizard's Chess with the Potions master's old set. The only reason Snape had done it was because he thought it was a good way to distract his student from the potion's side-effect, which he had drunk for the final time earlier that day. Potter had not shed a tear but he had made it obvious that the side-effect was still bothering him quite a bit. Engaging in a surprisingly friendly competition with Snape took the boy's mind off of it.

Snape's thoughts drifted toward Weasley and Granger's last visit. The moment they had stepped inside the chamber they had dragged Potter into a corner and had begun whispering rapidly. They were being so secretive that Snape could not help but wonder what on earth they were up to. Potter had a very serious look on his face and he kept nodding while wringing his hands in a nervous fashion. There was something about their demeanor that made Snape strongly suspect that it wasn't Weasley and Granger's first visit of the day.

The Hogwarts professor got to his feet and stretched. He did not know what time it was but he could tell that it was quite late. He had to teach a class to a group of first-year Gryffindor and Slytherin students first thing in the morning so he needed all of the rest he could get. But going through one last book couldn't hurt.

Snape approached his library. He was able to justify by reading the titles just how helpful the volumes would be. Unfortunately, none of them were. Snape's eyes then fell on a book titled _Potion Mysteries: the Unsolvable Solved_. That book was given to him by Dumbledore a few years ago, who had thought that his Potions master would be able to make good use of it. Snape scarcely believed anything that was written in books until he was able to prove it for himself. In need of a good laugh, Snape took the book out and returned to his desk.

He began to read the first chapter and he was amazed to discover that some of the author's research matched his own. Snape had always spent his free time trying to find out why some potions reacted differently than others but he had never shared his discoveries with anyone unless he had to. He skipped the rest of the chapter and began reading chapter two and once again the author's results matched his own. The same went for chapter three and four. Snape was astonished.

He then noticed that a page corner was folded. He turned the pages and found that the marked chapter was named _Unexplainable side-effects_. There was a small message written in Dumbledore's slanting handwriting at the top of the page:

_I had a feeling that you would eventually need this chapter. Maybe now you will be more understanding of the one you have been unfair to until now._

_Albus_

Snape rolled his eyes. How in the world did Dumbledore _do_ that? The man was no Seer and yet he knew everything: past, present and future. The Potions master put _that_ particular mystery aside and explored the chapter.

He was only two pages in when he found the paragraph containing the information he was looking for (marked with an asterisk by Dumbledore). Snape was immediately enthralled by what was written.

_Depending on how the potion was made, the side-effects of a potion may affect both the brewer and the consumer or they can affect the brewer only (see why on p.218). But how can it be that with certain potions, the side-effects only affect the brewer and only a select few of the consumers? The answer, after spending hours and hours of research, turned out to be simple: the brewer and the consumer have a similar yet unpleasant past. When the brewer invents or modifies a potion, his or her essence will sometimes be integrated within the potion (see p.219) and the potion will unfortunately derive its strength from the worst parts of the brewer's life, resulting in the brewer feeling an unpleasant side-effect. The same thing will happen to the consumer if he or she has at least one highly unpleasant moment in his or her life that is the same or extremely similar to the brewer's. The potion will once again stem its strength from the consumer's unfortunate past experiences. The worst the experiences are, the stronger the side-effect will be. Those who do not have a similar past to the brewer will be exempt from these side-effects. There is yet to be an explanation for this._

Snape sat staring at the black and white page. So this was the answer he had been relentlessly looking for. He had made parallels between his past and Potter's but he had never imagined that they were key to why they both had to endure that side-effect. Now Snape was curious to know more about Potter's childhood and he made it his sole mission to find out.

* * *

><p>The students piled out of the classroom at the end of the next day as Snape packed away his things. This evening, Snape had decided to dine in his chamber so he could ask Potter a few questions about his home life. The Potions master had stopped by the kitchens that morning before classes to tell the house-elves that <em>now<em> they could bring enough food for two people. He had told them the other day to only bring enough food for only _one_ person after seeing how much they kept bringing.

Snape made his way down the dungeon corridors, nodding his head at all of the Slytherin students who greeted him as they ran past him on their way to the Great Hall. As he walked, he was trying to find the right kind of approach that will encourage Potter to divulge his childhood to his well-hated professor. Snape guessed that the direct approach was the best route to take.

He arrived at his chamber and he paused as another student passed by. He waited for the girl to be out of sight before proceeding.

"_Lily_," Snape said but the portrait did not swing open. In fact, the woman in it looked rather disgruntled. Snape peered at her.

"I hope that those two brats won't be back here this evening," the portrait said. "I've had more than enough with them."

_Brats?_ Snape thought, confused. Something clunked into place. "Oh. Mr Weasley and Miss Granger," he said, cursing himself for his lack of comprehension. "Don't worry, they won't be visiting today. _Lily_."

"Good. They are more than just annoying," the portrait replied, bristling.

"Yes, yes," Snape said. "_Lily_."

"They are absolutely rude! Demanding access to a private quarter to see another brat who shouldn't even _be_ here! Can you believe that?" the portrait wanted to know.

"Not at all. _Lily_."

"And the worst part of it is that they are never grateful when you give them what they want. They just—"

"_Will you let me in already?_" Snape yelled angrily, finally snapping.

"Oh all right. Get in," the portrait said, offended. It swung open and Snape stepped inside while seriously considering finding a replacement to guard his chamber.

The place was deserted: Potter was nowhere in sight. Snape rushed to the bedroom and found that the Gryffindor wasn't there either. Snape groaned out of exasperation: he had not expected the boy to be able to follow any kind of rules for an entire week but he thought that maybe this time he would have actually listened. Just when the Potions master was about to go hunt down his student, the portrait hole opened and Potter came in.

"_Potter!_" Snape spat. "Where have you _been_?"

"Talking with Professor McGonagall in her office," Potter replied calmly, the hoarseness in his voice gone. "I even have a note to prove it."

He gave Snape a piece of paper, who took it. The note was, indeed, in McGonagall's handwriting.

_Severus,_

_Potter came to me to discuss how he will catch up with his classes (how very Hermione Granger of him). He has told me that you have given him permission to do so but somehow I doubt it. He was acting responsibly so I don't want to see you deduct points from Gryffindor or give Potter an unnecessary detention. Understand?_

_Regards,_

_Minerva_

Snape sighed. Leave it to McGonagall to save her favorite student from any kind of trouble. But the Potions master was inclined to agree that Potter had acted rather responsibly, a rather odd thing in Snape's opinion. He always had been so sure that Potter was just as lazy and careless as his father James had been. Maybe Snape had been slightly wrong about the boy.

"Well, that was surprisingly initiative of you, Potter," Snape said smoothly.

"It's going to be hard to catch up all by myself so I'll ask Hermione for her help when she and Ron stop by after dinner," Potter said.

"Your little friends won't be coming here this evening," Snape told him.

"Why not?" Potter demanded to know.

"Because I told them not to, that's why!" Snape snapped. He switched to a politer tone. "I wish to speak with you alone."

Potter looked positively terrified at this. "For Merlin's sake, Potter! I just want to talk to you! Stop looking as if you would rather spend the rest of your life nurturing the Dark Lord back to health!" Snape spat furiously. "By the way, how did you get in here without the password?"

"Your portrait and I have an agreement: she lets me in and out as much as I want and I don't send Sir Cadogan after her."

"That mad knight that kept harassing her last year? How very cunning of you."

"He harassed her? No wonder she doesn't want anything to do with him," Potter said thoughtfully.

"Wait a minute, you threatened to unleash him on her without knowing what he has done?" Snape asked, not believing his ears.

"I don't even know what Sir Cadogan _looks_ like, let alone what he's done. But that portrait of yours doesn't know that, sir. I've managed to convince her that I've taken the time to get to know that knight."

Snape stared at the boy and burst out laughing. An actual laugh escaped his lips, something that had not happened in many years. Potter was goggling at him in pure astonishment.

"Don't look at me like that. I am a human being and I can laugh even if it happens on rare occasions," Snape said after he had regained his composure. "I found what you have done to my portrait amusing since she does need a lesson in manners. Remind me to pay a visit to Sir Cadogan."

Two house-elves suddenly materialized in the room. They placed the wizards' meal on the Potions master's desk. They then bowed to Snape and Potter before they disappeared again. Snape approached his desk.

"Time to eat," he said. With a flick of his wand he made one of the armchairs slide across the floor toward the desk. Snape sat down in his chair and saw that Potter was still rooted to where he was standing.

"Potter, I have said that I wanted to speak with you so in order to I've decided to eat with you tonight. Please join me," Snape told him.

Potter slowly walked toward the armchair and he sank into it. He pulled his plate closer and began to eat. Snape watched him closely as he took a few bites out of his own meal.

"Listen, Potter, I'm not going to beat around the bush here," Snape finally said. "It has come to my attention that things at home aren't easy for you. Mind telling me what's going on?"

"Yes." Potter's reply was sharp and cold. Snape was not affected by it in the least.

"I wasn't giving you the option, Potter," he said silkily. "You _will_ answer every question I ask you and you will answer them _truthfully_."

Potter was looking surly and Snape waited to see if the boy was going to protest but he didn't. The Potions master proceeded.

"So, I will ask you again: what is going on in your home?" Snape repeated.

It took a few seconds but Potter finally answered. "They hate me," he said quietly.

"Who does?" Snape said. He already knew the answer but he felt it was best that Potter did not know that.

"My aunt and uncle and my cousin," Potter replied.

"Why?" Snape asked, another question to which he knew the answer.

"Because I can do magic, sir. The Dursleys hate anything that has to do with magic; I'm not even allowed to say that word when I'm staying with them," Potter explained somberly. "Although, in all fairness, my cousin was probably brainwashed by his parents. He might have given magic a chance if it wasn't for their influence."

"So they mistreat you because you are wizard. To what extent?"

"Well, for starters, they had spent ten whole years trying to conceal my identity."

"Spent ten whole years – wait, you didn't know you were a wizard for the first ten years of your life?" Snape blinked.

"That is correct, sir. They had actually tried to force my magic out of me. They even went as far as creating a whole new story for my parents' death, saying that they were killed in a car crash instead of being murdered by a Dark wizard," Potter said.

Snape was livid. He had never known just how much Petunia Evans was against magic until now. To go as far as insulting Lily's memory just for the sake of a magic-free lifestyle! The Potions master could not believe it.

"Sir?" Potter chimed in tentatively.

"Keep going, Potter," Snape replied through grit teeth. "What else have they done?"

"They couldn't care less about me. They just do the strict necessary with me and that's it. They've never celebrated my birthday; they were only decent enough to tell me what day I was born. They had always punished me for doing accidental magic that I wasn't even aware I was capable of doing, I lived in a cupboard under the stairs for ten years, I've seen periods of near starvation which were a kind of punishment, they always make me work restlessly and I could go on," Potter continued. "The reason I've been sobbing every time I felt the worse part of your potion's side-effect is because that's how I've always handled being really sick. My aunt and uncle didn't want me to spread whatever I had to their son so they would spend very little time nursing me back to health."

Snape suddenly realized that his mouth was hanging open and he quickly closed it. Potter leaned back into his seat and crossed his arms.

"It comes to you as a shock, doesn't it, Professor?" Potter said coolly. "Famous Harry Potter, beloved student of Hogwarts, often neglected and was often ridiculed by his own family."

"Ridiculed?" Snape repeated.

"That's right. During my time in Muggle primary school, my cousin would humiliate me in front of a circle of onlookers on a daily basis. No one ever helped me; they just stood there watching. They were too damn cowardly to step forward and put a stop to everything he has ever done to me!" Potter exclaimed, slamming a fist on the desk, tears of anger sparkling in his brilliant green eyes. "I don't expect you to understand what I've been through and what I go through every time I am with the only family I have left."

"I do understand."

The words slipped from Snape's lips before he could stop them. Potter froze and stared and he seemed to be trying to figure out whether he had heard what Snape had said correctly.

"What did you say?" the Gryffindor finally sputtered uncertainly.

"Has the potion also affected your hearing? I said that I understand what you've been through because I've been through something similar." Snape found himself talking with ease, as if he could trust the boy sitting in front of him with a piece of personal information.

"What happened?" Potter asked, leaning slightly forward. "Sir," he hastily added.

Snape first hesitated then sighed. The cat was out of the bag and Potter had been honest with him. The Potions master might as well do the same.

"Unlike you, Potter, I actually had parents. But it felt as if I did not have any. They were too busy arguing with one another to take much notice of me," Snape replied calmly, his hand gripping his fork tightly at the memory.

"Why were they arguing?" Potter inquired. His eyes grew wide behind his spectacles. "I shouldn't have asked that. It's none of my business."

"You are absolutely correct but I will answer your question. My father was an exceptionally hard man who did not enjoy many things in life, especially magic. He positively _hated_ magic and he resented me and my mother for it."

"He resented you and your mother because of magic? Was your father a Muggle, sir?"

"Yes, and he picked fights with my mother over every little thing to relieve his frustrations. My mother either cowered in a corner or fought back and neither of them seemed to care whether I was in the room or not." Snape frowned.

Potter was now sitting on the edge of his seat and Snape was able to identify compassion in his student's eyes. He looked away, unsure whether to welcome the boy's sympathy.

"You must have been like me, excited to leave for Hogwarts at the end of every summer," Potter whispered. It wasn't a question.

Snape nodded.

"I couldn't wait to leave for a place where I mattered to authority, to a place where I would be better nourished and clothed properly," he continued somberly. "But the problems at home were soon replaced by others."

"Y – A student and his friends had one day suddenly decided to label me as their pray," Snape said. He couldn't bring himself to identify Potter's father as the offender despite wanting to. "They bullied everyone for their own amusement but I was a special case to them. They would humiliate me time and time again in front of the other students. I fought back, of course, but they always seemed to have the upper hand despite my efforts."

"How many were they?" Potter asked.

"Four, but only two actually did the deeds. As for the other two, one cheered his friends on while the other pretended that nothing was going on and minded his own business, which is just as bad as committing the offense."

Potter nodded to show that he agreed.

"I won't go into specifics on what they have done to me but I think you comprehend all the same. Now do you see why I said that I understand what you've been through?" Snape wanted to know.

"Yes," Potter replied softly.

"Our pasts are very similar, which is why you and I are the only ones who have felt my potion's side-effect."

The boy looked at Snape questioningly.

"I have discovered why my potion affects us the way it does," Snape said smoothly. Potter straightened up and listened intently. "It seems that my 'essence' as they like to call it has been integrated in the potion and anyone who has a past similar to mine will feel the side-effect but it only does this if both parties have a past that is unpleasant with, as mentioned before, similar events since the potion stems its strength from negativity. It doesn't, however, explain where the potion takes its strength with someone who has a different or good past. Nevertheless, I will have to perform a background check before giving that potion to anyone."

Silence followed his words. Potter then looked at his professor and seemed to be teetering on the verge of speech. Snape motioned him to speak.

"Professor, may I ask you something about your parents?" Potter said bracingly.

"You may," Snape sighed.

"Do you… Do you still see your mum and dad?" Potter asked.

"No, I do not. I had moved out the minute I could but I have returned to the community I have grew up in when I was sure that my parents were gone. I haven't got the faintest idea where they might be; for all I know, they could be dead and no one has ever told me."

Potter sat absolutely still and Snape watched him closely. The boy looked as if there were still a few questions whirling in his mind so the Potions master decided to clear them.

"Any other questions, Potter?" Snape inquired.

"There… There is one." Potter suddenly looked nervous and Snape wondered whether he should be worried or not.

"Go on," the Potions master said warily. Potter took a deep breath.

"What was my mother like?"

**Cliffhanger! That wasn't too mean of me I hope. How will Snape react to this? Find out in the next chapter!**

**Just a small warning: I'm back in school so the updates might take a little while longer. **

**Thanks for the reviews! :D The feedback is much appreciate!**


	9. Revelations

Whatever Snape was expecting, it wasn't that. His black eyes grew wide and he looked completely shocked. Harry waited for him to answer his question, bracing himself for the worse to come.

"W-What did you just ask me, Potter?" Snape stammered. Harry had never seen the man lose this much composure before.

"W-What was my mother like?" Harry repeated nervously.

"Where," Snape said, "would you get the idea that I was acquainted with Li… her?"

"I found your photo album a few days ago while I was browsing your library, sir," Harry replied in a small voice. Snape's naturally pale face became ashen and his eyes narrowed into slits as they flashed dangerously. "It was an accident! I swear!" Harry added hastily. "Your album looked like a book so I picked it up and saw photographs of you and Mum together. You were her friend and I know you can tell me everything I want to know about her."

"How…" Snape was shaking with visible anger and he seemed to be having some difficulty at keeping his voice steady. "What did you think gave you the right to…?"

"Please, sir," Harry pleaded desperately. "I don't know how much time you have spent with my mother but I _do_ know that it's a lot more than I've ever gotten or will ever receive. All I want is to know more about her. Is that really so horrible?"

Snape suddenly softened and the little color he usually had flooded back into his cheeks. He seemed to be thinking over a few things and Harry wondered whether the Potions master was considering granting his wish or he was trying to lower his student's guard in order to punish him well.

"Please…" Harry whispered.

The Potions master slumped back into his chair and closed his eyes. Harry eyed him anxiously, the suspense slowly killing him. Snape opened his eyes and The Boy Who Lived shrank a bit, waiting for the yelling and to be given detention until he graduated.

"Your mother… Lily was… an extraordinary person," Snape finally said softly.

Harry's eyes widened and he quickly straightened himself. "What did you say?" he asked, not believing his ears.

"Your mother Lily was an extraordinary person. She was the kindest, most beautiful, intelligent, energetic girl I've ever met," Snape replied.

"You guys went to school together, right?" Harry said. Snape nodded.

"We were in the same year. Lily was absolutely brilliant at everything she did. Everybody loved her and her talents."

"I heard that she gave everyone a chance to show her who they really are, that she never judged anyone until she knew them. Is that true?"

"Thank goodness, yes. If she was as judgemental as her older sister Petunia I would have never been able to befriend her."

"Hang on, how do you my aunt's name?" Harry asked.

"I knew her, silly boy! Your mother and your aunt used to live me during our school years," Snape replied, raising an eyebrow at his student's lack of common sense.

"Right…" Harry said, cursing himself for his brief stupidity. "So you lived near Mum as a kid, huh? I would have never imagined."

"I never expected you to. Lily had only showed me (and everyone else) kindness since I had met her, something that I had rarely received from anyone," Snape said. "She was a true blessing in my life."

"I bet she was," Harry said, grinning. "How did you meet her?"

"I had found her one day wandering the streets alone. I then saw her inadvertently levitate a stone as she walked and I immediately suspected her to be a witch," Snape replied calmly. "I kept a close eye on her ever since just to make sure."

"So you stalked her?" Harry asked half-jokingly.

"If you say another smart remark like that one you won't hear another word."

"_All right!_ Geez, have a sense of humor, why don't you?"

Snape glared at Harry balefully before continuing.

"Anyway, I had one day come across Lily and Petunia in a nearby park," he said. "Lily was performing a bit of magic, which scared your aunt silly. It had occurred to me earlier on that your mother was not aware of what she was though in her case it was understandable: she came from a long line of Muggles. None of them knew what she was. I had made it my personal duty to let her know."

"So it's because of you Mum found out she was a witch?" Harry said, amazed.

"Yes. That day in the park, I had finally revealed myself to her and I told her the truth about her nature. It didn't go over too well: neither girls believed me. It took few tries but Lily eventually accepted my words and she began to hang around me more often," Snape replied, smiling a little.

Harry couldn't help but smile too. It was apparent that Snape cherished his memories of Lily. The young Gryffindor was glad that his professor had been able to find some happiness in his life and he was also glad to know just how much of a kind soul his mother was.

"Do you want to know something about your aunt that she would never _dream_ of telling you?" Snape asked, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

"What?" Harry replied eagerly.

"She had tried to get accepted into Hogwarts."

"_What?_"

"You heard me. When Lily had gotten her letter saying that she was accepted here, Petunia had become a little envious and had written to Professor Dumbledore, asking if she could attend. Lily came to me with his response to prove to me that her sister had managed to contact the school. I couldn't believe it."

Neither could Harry. His aunt had tried to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! No wonder she hated magic so much, she wanted some herself! Instead of accepting that she was a Muggle she had grown envious of her sister and turned cold. Harry was close to feeling sorry for Aunt Petunia when he bitterly remembered that she now took out her frustrations on him. He waited for Snape to continue.

"Blackmail her with that little gem the next time she tries to make you skip another meal," Snape told him. "Or when she mistreats you in general. Tell her you got it from me and that I give her my _best_ regards."

Harry nodded.

"Let's bring the focus back on your mother, shall we? Lily always helped those who were in need, whatever it was that person needed help with. Despite being kind, she was also fierce. Angering her was never a good idea," Snape recalled in an absent-minded fashion.

"Did she defend you against the bullies, sir?" Harry asked.

He seemed to have accidentally struck a nerve. Snape immediately adverted his eyes and he focused his gaze on his hands which were folded tightly in his lap. He seemed to be bothered by something and Harry wondered what it could be.

"Yes, she did," the Potions master replied softly. There was something about his tone that made Harry get an idea of what might be saddening his professor.

"Sir, did you remain friends with Mum until she died?" Harry asked cautiously.

Snape slowly shook his head. Harry proceeded.

"I'm just throwing this out there but, judging by the way you reacted, did something happen between you two when she was defending you from the bullies?" he inquired.

When Snape didn't answer, Harry sighed and said, "Look, Professor, when I was honest with you about my past, it actually helped me, believe it or not. I felt as if a huge weight has been lifted. Maybe I can be a sort of help if you just tell me what's troubling you deeply."

The Potions master looked incredibly uncertain at this. Harry got to his feet and made his way around the desk. He put a hand on his professor's shoulder and Snape gazed at him in surprise.

"I'm a lot better at this than you are," Harry said with a half-smile. "Go on, sir. Tell me."

"Well," Snape replied, "one day, after we had finished writing one of our O.W.L. exams—"

"Your what exams?" Harry asked, perplexed.

"O.W.L. – Ordinary Wizarding Level. These are exams that you must take at the end of your fifth year," Snape explained.

"Oh, okay. Keep going."

"I was out in the grounds and I was so busy going over my exam questions that I had failed to notice that I had walked near my enemies. They were bored so they immediately attacked me."

"They went after you because they were bored?" Harry said in disbelief. "I should introduce them to my cousin Dudley."

Snape gave a small, hollow laugh.

"Yeah, maybe," he said. "Anyway, they began to torment me, which was business as usual for them. Your mother saw what was going on and she came to my defense."

"Well, that's good! It showed that she cared about you, that she didn't care about the whole Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry," Harry said.

"True, and thanks to that group leader's little crush on Lily, I was freed. Then the leader tried to taunt me by saying that I was lucky that Lily was there and I—" Snape seemed unable to continue.

"Yes?" Harry encouraged him gently.

"I responded that I didn't need a Mudblood like her to help me," Snape blurted out, burying his face in his hands.

Harry's jaw dropped open but shock soon turned into anger. He tightened his grip on Snape's shoulder, his fingernails sinking through the Potions master's robes and into his skin. Snape winced and plucked each of Harry's fingers off before pushing the entire hand away.

"Why?" Harry said in a dangerously calm voice. "Why would you do such a thing? She was trying to help you."

"You thing that I don't _know_ that?" Snape demanded to know.

"Your actions said you apparently didn't."

"Well, I _did_! Do you honestly believe that I meant to call your mother a Mudblood?"

"I don't know. Did you?" Harry snapped, losing his cool.

"_NO!_" Snape jumped to his feet. Harry barely twitched a muscle. "I would _never_ do that on purpose! She was my best friend and she was right when she had told me that I was letting myself be influenced by those who strived to be Dark wizards! I didn't think when I had called her a Mudblood, okay? I was angry and humiliated so my reasoning wasn't there. I regretted immensely what I did then and I still do to this day!"

Snape paused to draw breath and Harry watched him closely. The man was being sincere and Harry could tell just how much the subject was touchy for Snape. The young Gryffindor felt some of his anger melt away.

"I believe you," Harry said. "Geez, do I have to provoke you to get a decent show of emotions from you?"

Snape's knees seemed to give way and he collapsed back onto his chair. He rested his elbows on his knees and hid his face in his hands. Harry patted his professor on the back, wondering how comforting Snape came so naturally to him, his anger now completely evaporated.

"There, there," Harry said soothingly. "I'm sorry that I was harsh. I should have known that what you did was a slip of the tongue since you've made it clear that you deeply cared about Mum. But she _is_ my mother and even if I don't know her I _will_ defend her memory."

"As you should," Snape replied, his voice muffled by his hands. Harry patiently waited for him to straighten himself. When he did, Snape added, "You have nothing to apologize for, Potter. You had every right to be angry with me: I did call your mother the worse name you can give to someone of Muggle parentage."

"Yeah, well, that's in the past and you can't change the past. It's done so there's no point for me to be mad at you even if I wanted to be."

The Potions master looked at his shrewdly. "Either you've become delusional or you're talking common sense," he said warily.

"It's called compassion, sir. Try it sometime."

Silence followed their exchange. They looked at each other directly in the eyes. Snape suddenly seemed startled and Harry raised his eyebrows to show that he noticed.

"You are so much more like Lily than I thought you were," Snape admitted.

"Hey, give me _some_ credit. Do you feel okay to continue, sir? We don't have to if it hurts too much," Harry said kindly, placing his hand back on Snape's shoulder.

Snape hesitated then he lightly patted Harry's hand. Harry stared at his hand then at his professor.

"Have _you_ gone delusional, Professor?" he asked seriously.

"Maybe," Snape agreed, absent-minded. "Might as well continue the story; there's not much left to it anyway."

Harry quickly returned to his seat and was listening intently.

"I was… absolutely heartbroken when my friendship with Lily fell apart that day. I had tried to make amends but she didn't want to hear it. Not that I blame her, I really can't: I had shown more than once that I had let the Darks Arts influence me. She was sick of it," Snape continued. "I never stopped caring for her, however."

_Heartbroken? Never stopped caring? Heartbroken?_ Harry thought, his mind whirling.

"She still remained kind to me whenever she was forced to make any kind of contact with me, which I appreciated. When I had found out that the Dark Lord had murdered you mother – Professor Dumbledore told me," Snape said when he saw Harry open his mouth to ask how he knew. "I was devastated when it came to my attention that Lily was dead. I had refused to believe it; I had tried to convince myself that it was all a horrible nightmare that I was going to wake up from, that it wasn't real. But pretending never changes things, does it?" Snape turned his head away but not before Harry caught the glimmer of unshed tears in his eyes.

"I can't say that it does," Harry replied sadly. It saddened him greatly to see Snape like this. Harry didn't know what to do: what did you say to someone whom you've thought for over a year was incapable of feeling anything? The way Snape spoke of Lily was extremely tender and he had been all fired up when Harry had believed that he had purposely insulted her. And when Snape had said that losing his friendship with Lily had left him heartbroken, Harry had thought in a wild moment that if he didn't know any better, he would have believed that Snape was actually in love with Lily…

_Love?_ Harry thought. The word struck him and struck him hard. No, Snape couldn't be, could he? Harry knew what he was about to do next could spare Voldemort the job of murdering him himself.

"Sir?" Harry said bracingly. "May I ask you something personal?"

Snape looked at him. "I guess you may. It's all out in the open now anyway," he replied.

"Well… how do I say this? It's quite—" Harry began awkwardly.

"For Merlin's sake, Potter. Just spit it out!" Snape exclaimed impatiently.

"Welcome back, sir," Harry said. He saw the corners of Snape's mouth twitch. "Fine, I'll just _spit it out_: were you in love with Mum?"

It was the strangest thing: Snape opened his mouth then closed it and opened it and closed it _again_ before settling for sinking low in his chair with his face reddening profusely. Harry couldn't believe that this usually seemingly unbreakable man could be reduced to a shy teenager with just a few small words. Nevertheless, he had gotten his answer.

"You_ were_!" Harry cried, half-triumphantly, half-shocked.

"Potter," Snape moaned in an embarrassed tone, "please keep your voice down."

"Everybody's in the Great Hall and we're in the dungeons. I doubt that someone's gonna hear us."

Snape glared at Harry with all of his might, his face still very red. Harry bit back a smile, enjoying watching the Potions master trying to reconstruct the hard shell he usually had around himself with no success.

"How did you know?" Snape asked coolly.

"I suggest that you speak of my mother in a less tender way next time," Harry replied, amused.

"I'll remember that," Snape said. "I suppose that you are more intelligent that I give you credit for."

"Is that why you hate me so much, sir? Because I'm a reminder that my mum _didn't_ fall in love with you?" Harry inquired curiously, ignoring the jibe. He was surprised at himself; being able to read people was more of a Hermione thing.

The Hogwarts professor studied him closely before sighing. He seemed to abandon all attempts to bring back his cold façade and Harry waited, knowing that rushing Snape to answer probably wasn't the best idea.

"It is the reason why I hated you," Snape replied slowly.

"Hated?" Harry repeated, confused, noticing the use of the past tense.

"You… heard me. This past week has forced me to see you in a different light," Snape said stiffly, as if the words were being spoken against his will.

Harry smiled. "At ease, soldier. You're not so bad yourself," he replied.

"Ha, ha. Very funny," Snape said. "Don't bother pretending with me, Potter."

"I'm not pretending. I've actually come to appreciate you and I'm grateful for everything you've done for me during the last week; my opinion of you has changed for the better. Sir, you really need to learn to let people in your life even if," Harry pointed at himself, "they're not what you've expected them to be."

Snape appeared thoughtful for a minute and he gave Harry a small half-smile. That small reaction, Harry knew, was big for Snape and the young Gryffindor was pleased. He had meant everything he had said. He _did_ have a better opinion of the older man who was currently sitting in front of him.

"Do you honestly think that you've been let in my life?" Snape asked.

"No, I don't. But you've opened up to me and that's a start. Go to someone you trust and keep this up; you'll be glad you did." Harry was feeling more and more like a counsellor rather than a student by the minute but, strangely enough, he didn't mind.

"Speaking of trust, if you _ever_ breathe a word of this to _anyone_ you will be in detention until your grandchildren graduate from whatever school you send them to. Understand?" Snape threatened menacingly, returning to his former self.

"Does this mean that I'm officially discharged?"

"First thing tomorrow morning before classes and don't even _think_ about trying to weasel your way out of your courses because tomorrow's Friday and you feel that you deserve a long weekend. You've had enough time off."

Harry laughed. "Business as usual, then, sir?" he asked.

"Business as usual, Potter," Snape replied, smiling.

**Sorry it took so long guys! School got in the way. I think the next chapter will be the last one. I'll try to update faster next time.**

**Thanks for the reviews! :D I really appreciate them!**


	10. A final talk

Harry walked into the Great Hall the following morning, feeling refreshed. He was glad to be out of the dungeons and back in the castle's brightness. He walked among the tables, feeling too cheerful to let the scrutiny of his fellow students trouble him.

Ron and Hermione were sitting near the end of the Gryffindor table, talking with Fred and George and Neville. Harry approached them and he placed his hands over Ron and Hermione's eyes, earning a start from Ron and a small squeal from Hermione.

"Guess who?" Harry said happily.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed and she nearly broke Harry's neck by throwing her arms around it and pulling him down into a hug.

"Harry! So you were freed, mate?" Ron asked in disbelief.

"Yep! I'm officially discharged and one hundred percent healthy," Harry replied, massaging his neck.

"Where were you, Harry? We were worried," Neville said as The Boy Who Lived sat down.

"Oh, I, uh, was in the Hospital Wing. I was sick."

"Really? We went to the Hospital Wing earlier this week for a Quidditch injury and we didn't see you," Fred said as George nodded.

"I was placed in a private ward, away from those who are accusing me of being the Heir of Slytherin's eagle eyes," Harry lied smoothly, taking a bite of toast.

"We don't think that you're the Heir of Slytherin, Harry," Neville said sincerely as the twins nodded in agreement.

"Thanks, everyone," Harry said appreciatively.

"Glad to have you back, Harry," George pitched in with a grin. "Oliver has been going mad all week; his star Seeker suddenly vanished from the face of the earth and nobody knew where he was."

"Sorry about that. What did he do?"

"No need to apologize. He was just hyperventilating every time he saw you didn't show up for a meeting and he got so desperate that he hired Neville over here as a temporary Seeker."

"He didn't!" Harry looked at Neville incredulously, who shrugged.

"He did and I'm really relieved that you're back on your feet. Wood kind of scares me a little," Neville replied.

"He scares us all a little with his, er, _over-enthusiasm _with Quidditch," Harry reassured him.

All six of them burst out laughing. As Harry's laugh was reduced to a giggle, he felt a small nudge in his rib. He looked around and found Hermione watching him.

"Look by the doors," she whispered.

Harry looked over her shoulder and found Snape standing by the Great Hall's doors, surveying the crowd. Their eyes met and Harry gave him a curt nod before turning back to his friends.

"So, uh, what's it like between you two now?" Ron asked softly.

"Better," Harry replied in a whisper. "It's better."

"I take it that you guys don't hate each other anymore?" Hermione inquired.

"No, we don't. We're not friends either but we get along now but this must stay a secret, of course."

"Did you ask him about your mum?" Ron whispered.

"I did."

"Well?"

"She was a great person and that's all I can tell you. Snape has told me a lot and it turned out to be quite personal. I promised that I wouldn't say anything," Harry said, pouring himself a glass of pumpkin juice.

"You're actually going to _listen_ to him?" Ron asked incredulously.

"Yes," Harry replied.

"Good for you. If Snape asked you to keep quiet then you should. It was, after all, his private life that he told you about," Hermione said approvingly.

"Man, I was hoping to get so dirt on Snape," Ron said in a disappointed tone.

"_Ron!_"

"What? Apart from the Slytherins, who doesn't?"

Harry grinned as he watched his best friends bicker. It felt good to be back. He checked his watch and saw that it was nearly time for their first class.

"Hey, guys," Harry said. When they weren't listening, he exclaimed, "Oi! It's time for Transfiguration!"

Ron and Hermione fell silent and they each stood up and swung their bag over their shoulder, pointedly ignoring each other. Harry rolled his eyes with a smile at Neville and all four of them left the Great Hall.

* * *

><p>The students were gathered outside the Potions classroom, chatting animatedly. Harry was, to his surprise, surrounded by the other Gryffindors, who had been worried about him during his absence. They had not left him alone since he had walked in the Transfiguration classroom. Even Professor McGonagall had joined in the welcoming committee; she had given Harry a rare smile and she had let her students catch up for a few minutes before restoring order to her class.<p>

They were laughing and joking when Snape appeared. He gave the Gryffindors a deep look of disdain and the Slytherins a polite nod before going inside the classroom. The students piled in after him and Harry, Ron and Hermione took their usual seats in the back. The Potions master waited for everyone to be seated before starting.

"You see these instructions on the board? I think you can use your heads and figure out what to do," he said silkily. "Begin."

Stools scraped the floor as the students got to their feet and gathered their ingredients. Harry set everything up on his table and began to work.

The lesson went by almost like usual. The only difference was when Snape made his snide comments at Harry, he did not seem to mean them. Harry detected no malice in his professor's eyes every time the man snubbed him and he was grateful for it: he was able to concentrate on his potion much better now that he knew Snape was just trying to maintain his reputation.

When the class was over, Harry was struck with a brilliant way to thank Snape for everything he had done during the past week. Harry swung his bag over his shoulder and rushed out of the classroom.

"Harry, where are you going?" Hermione asked. "It's time for lunch."

"Go on without me. I'll catch up with you later," Harry replied as he crossed the threshold. He ran up the stairs and into the bright Entrance Hall. He pushed through the great oak doors and sun and blue skies greeted him as he sped down the Hogwarts grounds' sloping lawns. He didn't stop until he reached the greenhouses where he found Professor Sprout locking up after her lesson. Harry skidded to a halt in front of her and she looked at him in surprise.

"Why, Mr Potter! How are you feeling?" Sprout asked.

"Much better, thanks," Harry panted, clutching a stitch in his side. "I was wondering if you could do me a favor?"

"Name it," Sprout said eagerly.

"Well—" At that moment, a group of Slytherin students passed by so Harry beckoned Professor Sprout to bend down. She complied and he whispered his request in her ear.

"I believe we do have some of those," Sprout said thoughtfully, straightening up. "Is it for a young lady?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Well, then. Come with me, Mr Potter."

Sprout turned on her heels and marched toward the very last greenhouse with Harry on her tail. She unlocked the door and she and Harry stepped inside.

* * *

><p>Snape made his way to his office after lunch. He had a whole two hours ahead of him before he had to teach another bunch of students so he decided to do a bit if reading to kill time. He couldn't stop pondering over his lesson that included Potter in the group of students. It was strange no to feel any sort of animosity toward the boy but Snape believed that his acting skills were quite excellent; no one seemed to suspect that his feelings toward Potter had changed in the slightest.<p>

The Potions master entered his office and closed the door. When he turned, he found something on his desk that was not there earlier. Snape approached his desk and saw an envelope with a lily lying on top of it. Suspecting strongly who it was from, Snape took the envelope and opened it, revealing a letter.

_Dear Professor Snape,_

_No, you're not dreaming – or having a nightmare, whichever way pleases you – I truly am writing to you. I had spent the entire lunch hour putting this together and I had the house-elves deliver it for me in case you were wondering how this got there and where did I find the time to do this. The house-elves were quite eager to help._

_First of all, I can't thank you enough for taking me in while I was ill. It was surprisingly generous of you. I was quite disgruntled about the idea at first but I gradually came to be grateful about it. I'm sure you understand why._

_Now for the more serious stuff: words cannot describe how much I appreciate you telling me about Mum. I'm really happy that she was a wonderful person and I'm also glad that I found someone who still has vivid memories of her (though I'll be honest, my imagination was not wide enough for me to even consider the possibility that you out of all people knew her). That wasn't the only surprise you gave me throughout my stay with you but let's focus on that one._

"Oh, brother," Snape mused aloud. "He's being sappy."

_I'm not being sappy, by the way. Showing your emotions is NOT a sign of weakness; not showing them IS. Don't confuse the two._

"What—?" Snape said, nonplussed.

_I got you confused there, didn't I? Don't worry, you'll understand one day and I do have an example that might help. Remember what happened last evening? How do you feel today? I'm sure you feel much now that you told someone what's been troubling you all these years._

Snape hated to admit it but the boy was right: he _did_ feel as if a huge weight had been lifted but Snape wasn't sure if he wanted Potter to know that.

_I'm right, aren't I? I've learned how to see through your hard shell, sir. Anyway, about your memories of Mum, I have a piece of advice that is my thank-you gift to you: it's time to let go. I'm not saying to forget here, far from it. I don't want you to forget my mother but you need to let go of the past. Holding on to it won't bring it back or change it: it'll just keep reopening those old wounds. How can they heal if you don't give them a chance to do so? It'll do you some good._

_Letting go would also mean to start over. To some people, it can be a scary prospect but I think you can handle it. I remember when I found out I was a wizard: it gave me the opportunity to start over, to have a better life with kinder people and Hogwarts provides that life. Besides, you would be much happier and, frankly, I think Mum would want this for you if she was still here. I believe that she would have wanted you to have a better life than the one you had when she first met you._

_Think about it._

_Harry Potter_

_P.S. That lily I left you will never die. Professor Sprout has put a spell on it that will assure its immortality. Did you know that there's a greenhouse at Hogwarts that shelters NORMAL plants? It felt strange not having some vine trying to strangle me._

Snape chuckled softly out of amusement. Potter still had a lot to learn about the school. The Potions master took the lily in his hand and Lily herself appeared in front of his mind's eye, Potter's words still fresh in his mind. Snape did not want to forget the best friend he has ever had but Potter seemed to have a point (he was surprisingly wise for his age): maybe it _was_ time to let go of the past and live for the present. Snape put the letter and the flower back on his desk and strode out of his office.

* * *

><p>Harry was sprawled on the lawn behind a set of bushes by the Black Lake, soaking up the class got cancelled due to tiny Professor Flitwick being overwhelmed by the amount of objects that caught fire courtesy of Seamus so Harry evaded Ron and Hermione to take advantage of the sunshine he had been deprived from. Hermione wanted to go to the library to study and dragged Ron with her, who wasn't as lucky as Harry. The Boy Who Lived had no desire to join them.<p>

Harry closed his eyes and sighed happily as the sunrays caressed his skin. The grounds were truly peaceful during class time; it was relaxing to listen to the birds chirping and to the water rippling against the shore. It was a shame that every day couldn't be like this.

As Harry began to doze off, a hand shook him slightly. He sat up at the speed of light and looked around wildly only to discover that the person who had shook him was Snape. Harry wasn't sure whether he should relax or not: he was certain that the Potions master did not know that Charms was cancelled.

"I thought I'd find you here, Potter," Snape said sternly. "Why aren't you in class?"

"It got cancelled," Harry explained. "A spell gone wrong that ricochets off the walls turned out to be a very hazardous thing."

"Mr Finnigan was the cause of this, I suppose?"

"You're a mind-reader, sir."

"No," Snape said as he sat down next to Harry. The young Gryffindor looked at him in surprise, "I just know my students."

"Whatever happened to 'business as usual'?" Harry asked, slightly perplexed.

"No one can see us, Potter. Don't lower your intelligence level any more than it needs to be," Snape replied silkily.

Harry rolled his eyes.

"I've received the letter and the flower you've left me," Snape said softly, not meeting Harry's eye.

"Oh?" Harry smiled. "And?"

"Do you honestly think that I'll be able to forget what happened?" Snape inquired.

"Not forget, Professor, but to let go. Or move on, to be more accurate. You can never truly forget what has happened to you but you can choose to not let it affect you. I've learned that over the years; I mean, I've seen quite a few things already and I'm only twelve-years-old! Does my past still hurt? Yeah, but it's a lot better than it used to be and now that I have discussed it with you I barely feel the pain. You may have told me about your past, sir, but if you hold on to it that good feeling you have will only be temporary. Aren't you tired of always being angry and resentful?"

Snape stared at him, looking incredibly dumbfounded. Harry eyed him in satisfaction. He saw a change in Snape: two days ago, the Potions master probably would have preferred calling Lockhart the brightest wizard of the age than reveal that Harry's words had affected him. The young Gryffindor appreciated this new Snape.

"All right, then," Snape continued. That was another thing that was new: the old Snape would have _never_ accepted Harry's words, even less with such ease. "There was something else that you wrote. You said that hiding emotions is a weakness. Explain."

"With pleasure. You see, sir, when you don't let your feelings out, they tend to build up and you eventually, well, _explode_ I guess would be the right term. It's not healthy. As you saw yesterday, you've kept everything bottled up for so long that once you started telling me things, you couldn't stop. It's proof that everything comes out eventually."

"When," Snape said, "did you become _wise_?"

Harry shrugged. "Give some credit to Hermione Granger, sir. She likes to advise everyone on these kinds of things. I already knew some of it but she filled in the blanks," he replied.

Snape looked thoughtful and did not speak for several minutes. Deciding to let Snape think over whatever he was pondering, Harry lay back down on the ground. He caught Snape's disapproving glare and Harry laughed inwardly, closing his eyes. His mind was slightly numb after all the thinking and information processing he had done so far today. Having no classes for a week had relaxed Harry's mind a little _too_ much.

"Potter?"

"Hm?"

"Why must you sleep _now_ out of all times?"

"I'm not sleeping."

"Oh, really? The last time I had verified, lying down and closing one's eyes were categorized as _sleeping_."

Harry opened his eyes. "Happy?" he asked sarcastically.

"Not particularly," Snape replied indifferently.

Harry smirked as the Potions master gave a tentative smile. Harry checked his watched and sighed heavily. The bell to signal the end of classes was going to ring soon and he had History of Magic next, the most boring subject in the world and it was accompanied by the most monotonous teacher in existence. If Harry's mind felt sleepy now, it was going to be knocked out cold.

"What's with the dramatic sigh?" Snape asked mockingly.

"It's almost time for History of Magic," Harry said, disgruntled.

"I don't envy you in the least. Professor Binns was boring when I was in school and he's still boring to this day. He makes staff meetings longer than necessary because he always has a 'suggestion'."

"Did he die before, during, or after your time at Hogwarts?"

"Long before. It's about time he retired."

Harry laughed. "Well, I still prefer Professor Binns over Lockhart," he said truthfully.

"Don't remind me of that idiot. This morning he told me that black does nothing for my complexion so he will have a set of _turquoise_ robes delivered to me tomorrow. I nearly force-fed him poison," Snape said bitterly.

Harry then pictured Snape in the type of frivolous clothing Lockhart liked to wear and burst out laughing to the point it was difficult to breathe. Snape stared at him and he seemed to know what Harry was thinking because he then gave his student his best, signature glare.

_I guess some things never change_, Harry thought as he slowly sat up, watching the Potions master's eyes flash dangerously.

"Don't make me take points off of you and give you a detention, Potter," Snape hissed icily.

"Nothing's ever stopped you before," Harry mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, nothing…"

Snape got to his feet. After brushing off his robes, he offered a hand to Harry. Harry was startled again but he took Snape's hand and let himself be pulled to his feet by his professor. At that moment the bell rang and students were flooding out of their classrooms. Harry turned to Snape.

"Well, I guess I'll see you later," he said. "Don't forget what I've told you."

"I won't. I – Thank you," Snape replied.

"Thank _you_ for everything you've done for _me_," Harry said with a smile. "Well, see you."

He swung his bag over his shoulder and began to walk away. Suddenly, he heard Snape yell in a mocking tone, "Have fun in your class!"

"You're just saying that because you don't have to sit through_ your_ classes anymore!" Harry called back over his shoulder.

"And you think _teaching_ them is any better?"

Harry stifled another laugh. He went up the slopping lawns and caught up with the crowd of students, mingling with them, as they all returned inside the castle.

_**The end**_

**YAY! It's over! Hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!**

**Thanks for all the great reviews and for following the story and a big thanks for being so patient with the last two chapters that took a lot more time to upload than the rest. I will post another Harry Potter fic as soon as I can.**


	11. Author's Note: Sequel

**Author's note: sequel**

I just wanted to let you know that this is not over yet. I am currently writing a sequel to this story called _A Spy's True Intentions_ and the first three chapters are already up. This story starts with the death of Dumbledore and continues throughout _Deathly Hallows. _Harry must now face the supposed betrayal of Snape and find all the Horcruxes at once but things don't exactly turn out as planned. I hope to see you all over there in the new story and thanks again for following this one!


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